Solved How to change explorer address bar to always show full path text string?

You can do this 2 ways. This first one caused problems for me as file explorer would freeze from time to time and have to be restarted as well as caused me issues with restart hanging up. However, others seem to have no problem using the regedit method.it.
1. OPTION 3 here Restore Classic File Explorer with Ribbon in Windows 11 Tutorial

2. If option 1 causes you problems, here's an alternative and what I use. You can always see full path if you use the workaround of getting to file explorer through control panel. Technically this gives you the old Windows 10 file explorer. Reverse the regedit as per the tutorial, restart, and try it this way instead.
Make a desktop shortcut with a target of
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -nop -ep bypass -c "& {"Start-Process \"Control\"; $wshell = New-Object -ComObject wscript.shell; $null = $wshell.AppActivate(\"Control Panel\"); Start-Sleep 0.75; $wshell.SendKeys("'""^"lThis PC~"'")}
Name it Old Explorer
Right click on the new shortcut and select properties. Select change icon and assign it a new icon.
You can then pin the icon to taskbar if you wish or you can assign a keyboard shortcut to it in its properties..
You'll notice by clicking on the icon, control panel quickly opens and then file explorer opens with the ribbon and full address bar.So far I've had no issues doing it this way.

There are also the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl-L and Alt-D. Either one will show the full path in the address bar, with the added bonus of it being selected, so you can copy it to the clipboard.

Just a thought: Are you working with File Explorer expanded to fill the screen and the box is still not wide enough?

@pseymour: Well, I'll be dinged! I never knew that hotkey combination before, and now Ctrl+L is burned indelibly into the tiny Windows 11 compartment of my brain. Thanks a bunch!

@pseymour You taught me something too. I did not know about ctrl+L. You young 'uns teach us old dogs new stuff all the time. Thanks.

@glasskuter thanks for the method! Even though it doesn't change breadcrumbs view to full path string view, it is much more compact and most of my stuff fits there surprisingly. Will try to use that for a little bit, may be it will be final solution!

@pseymour wow, I didn't know about that hotkeys, thank you!

@wiganken no, I don't stretch explorer windows full screen, because I usually have multiple instances opened and have to manipulate through them. If I'll have to alt tab between multiple full screen explorer windows, I am afraid that it will cause much more headache than not seeing full paths by default.

glasskuter said:

@pseymour You taught me something too. I did not know about ctrl+L. You young 'uns teach us old dogs new stuff all the time. Thanks.

Click to expand...

At work, I'm the old man. Here, I'm a young 'un. I think I'll hang out here more.

pseymour said:

At work, I'm the old man. Here, I'm a young 'un. I think I'll hang out here more.

Click to expand...

Don’t, it’s a trap (They’re all cannibals)

pseymour said:

I think I'll hang out here more.

Click to expand...

It'll take years off your age. Guaranteed, or your money cheerfuly refunded.

I use a couple utilities..., I get the drilldown path in the address bar and the location address on the title bar...

Dropping my 2 cents in ...

I see the problem quite clearly. It's not doing what the OP wants it to do!

I swear Microsoft has a huge department that does nothing but think of "features" to irritate windows users.

Sqrly said:

Dropping my 2 cents in ...

I see the problem quite clearly. It's not doing what the OP wants it to do!

I swear Microsoft has a huge department that does nothing but think of "features" to irritate windows users.

Click to expand...

They opened the position for the old crew that created Windows Millennium. Can’t have them just sitting on bean-bags checking their Twitter accounts. (Or is that Google?)

I loaded the native W11 Explorer for a few minutes..., it has got to be the most terrible iteration of File Explorer to date!
More of a work in digress than progress, in my opinion!
Functionality is limited, seems necessary for UI and UI elements to be larger/fatter.

The only way I can find to view the full Address, without clicking, is to hover over the Tab..., hover, click, same diff!



Too much wasted real estate as well, especially if you disable Compact View.

Can't re-size the Address/Search Bars either...



If all options have been exhausted, I suggest @ma3d consider an alternative Explorer shell.

W7 style File Explorer, courtesy of QTTabBar, StartAllBack, Old/New Explorer and a condensed default font, an ultra-wide monitor, etc.
You may ask: Why all these 3rd party utilities just to reinstate traditional functionality and familiarity to File Explorer? Well..., that was my question too...

Edwin said:

terrible iteration of File Explorer

Click to expand...

It's the little things too...,
Like, not being able to see the edges of a highlighted group of images that you are working with, whilst you are re-sizing/re-positioning the editor window, so as not to cover them up.

Thanks everyone for answers!
For now I am sticking with @glasskuter solution, which returns Win10 explorer! :)

@ma3d I feel what works for whom is subjective. We all do different stuff in different ways and it depends on what we are doing at the time as to what we need to do it with. I still use native explorer most of the time and the tabs are handy, but if I'm dealing with multiple files in different locations or comparing contents of folders I too prefer having multiple instances of Explorer snapped rather than tabs. One thing MS got right is snap.
We do what we gotta do

I have the same pain. For my work and how I prefer, I would like to see a full path or at least a long enough part of the full path somewhere on the Explorer window.

The current problem:



"Display the full path in the title bar" doesn't solve the problem because

1) the width/space of the tab is narrow and so it doesn't show enough, and


2) from the Taskbark, the texts are not distinguishable.



We just need a simple long enough bar of a full path like Finder or the old Explorer where it was possible to resize the search box smaller. Now

• Run Explorer maximized on an ultrawide monitor.
• Run an alternative shell or shell extension.
No other way with the native Explorer!

I agree with @Edwin. Like I said, we do what we gotta do to make it work for us. There are several good alternatives to file explorer, some installable, some standalone, some free, some paid. Try different ones til you find one you like.


Normally I work from native file explorer but sometimes I need more so I keep Explorer++ around for those times.. It's portable, has tabs, and free. I like that. (To open a new tab use ctrl+T)

glasskuter said:

@ma3d I feel what works for whom is subjective. We all do different stuff in different ways and it depends on what we are doing at the time as to what we need to do it with. I still use native explorer most of the time and the tabs are handy, but if I'm dealing with multiple files in different locations or comparing contents of folders I too prefer having multiple instances of Explorer snapped rather than tabs. One thing MS got right is snap.
We do what we gotta do

Click to expand...

I do much the same. I've quickly adapted (to mine own suprise) to the new explorer 11 and at times find a 2nd tab to be handy but I also continue my old habit of snapping to the side to fit 2 instances on one screen and even a 3rd on my 2nd monitor.

As the OP does, I too miss the full path in title bar though.