Explorer - Navigation Pane - Expand to Current Folder not working

I don't know exactly when this changed. I have the setting 'Expand to Current Folder' checked. When I click on some of the pinned folders the Explorer Navigation pane the location does not expand to the target folder. But some of them do expand to current folder.

Below is a screenshot of the folders that do not expand, shown in red. There are several posts from 2023 that reference this but for me the issue appeared more recently. And I don't see any mention of only some of the folders don't expand. All the System shortcuts aren't expanding and some of ones I pinned don't expand.

Any clues to where to look to maybe solve this?

I'm on Windows 11, clearly, and updated from Windows 10 in June 2025. Version: 24H2. System is Asus with a Core i7-12700k.

From "Desktop" to "Google Drive" are pinned Quick Access Links. Those will never expand as they're just shortcuts to that folder. The folders below that appear to not have subfolders as there is no Tree View arrow on the left side of them...

dacrone said:

From "Desktop" to "Google Drive" are pinned Quick Access Links. Those will never expand as they're just shortcuts to that folder. The folders below that appear to not have subfolders as there is no Tree View arrow on the left side of them...

Click to expand...

Sorry, that is not correct. None of the items pinned to Quick Access have a Tree View arrow as they are File Folder shortcuts (or System Folder shortcuts). Almost all of the pinned items do have subfolders if you navigate to the full folder path via This PC.

What I have observed is the ones that do expand are referencing folders outside my user profile folders. Also, I have the location changed for all System shortcuts from C:\Users\Myuser\ to D:\Users\Myuser. If I navigate to D:\Users\Myuser the folders that do have subfolders display the Tree View arrow. The following screenshot shows the properties of two File Folder shortcuts Financial does not expand to the target folder and Software does.

It appears to me you are using the classic file explorer with ribbon which can only be accessed either through control panel or using a 3rd party app that alters the GUI. I'm suspecting you are using a 3rd party app. Uninstall it to see if it resolves your folder expanding problem.

You are correct I have a 3rd party app that restores the ability to locate the taskbar on the left and right sides of the screen. It also affects the look and feel of the Start menu and Explorer. But I have also verified that the same behavior occurs on a different user and a different system where this app was never installed.

I've discovered further clarification on this:

So any QA shortcut directed to a folder under an item designated in Properties as Type: System Folder Location will not expand to current folder.