New Windows 11 Update Changed Navigation in Windows Explorer, Added 3 Dot Menu

I have just updated Windows 11 and they have changed Windows Explorer. It is driving me crazy. Before the folder names would be reduced so you could fit them in the navigation bar. Now they have added a 3 dot menu and use the full size folder names changing the view and how this works. If you are using a lot of subfolders this is not good and reducing my workflow.

Is there any way to reverse this?

Windows 11 Pro Version 22H2 (OS Build 22621.2715)

Thank you

I am on 11 Pro 23H2 22631.2428 (release version) and see no 3 dots UNTIL my folder path is too long to fit in explorer address bar. I use a 27 in screen so the path has to be pretty long to get to that point. You do not list your specs in detail but since you have a laptop it would seem to me it's because of lack of screen space for extra long folder paths. The size of your system font also plays into this. The smaller the font, the more you see in explorer address bar.

Agreed. While the screenshot presented shows what looks to be a normally sized font in the address bar, if your overall monitor settings are set for a High DPI zoom level (125%, 150%, etc.) then the font scales with the address bar, and will look normal, because everything on the monitor is zoomed in. Zoomed in == less information in the same real estate.

So, either path length or zoom level (or both).

Thank you for the reply. This has definitely changed in this update.

I use many subfolders with long folder names for my work flow. I have been using Windows on a laptop for years and not seen this before. I am also using a 4K 27 inch monitor and still have this issue. Before the previous Folder name would be abbreviated so it fits in the menu correctly. Now it shows the full Folder name and uses the 3 dots menu. This is slowing me down as to go to the previous folder you have to click the three dots and then find the correct folder which do not always display correctly and you can easily click the wrong folder in the tree.

Is there a way to fix this? Please see the screenshot example of how Windows 10 is still using the folders. This is no longer happening on Windows 11 in the new update. The folder names are not being abbreviated anymore.

This seems like a small issue but for me this is slowing me down. I need to quickly navigate folders for my workflow.

Thank for any help

IJ1 said:

This is slowing me down as to go to the previous folder you have to click the three dots and then find the correct folder which do not always display correctly and you can easily click the wrong folder in the tree.

Click to expand...

To go to the previous folder, use that up arrow icon



Yeah, it is a paradigm shift from what you're used to doing, and I don't like it either - but it is still way faster than the new method to find the correct folder if you're just going a single level up - or even multiple levels, for that matter.

Thank you for your reply. I know we have the arrows and up button etc but I can not actually see the folder tree in the menu anymore if the Folder name is long. Maybe I want to go up 2 folders or 3 folders quickly etc and I need to see the name of the folder before clicking. Maybe I can not remember which sub folder I need by memory so I need to read what folders are available quickly in the menu without clicking up multiple times. Also the up arrow has been in Windows for many years and was available in Windows 10.

The three dot menu does not work well. I want to switch back to what we had a few days ago where the folder names are abbreviated.

Everyone us Windows in their own way and there are multiple ways to navigate. Regardless of what else I could do instead is there a way to revert this back?

There are registry options in Windows to change the right click menu to match Windows 10. Is there anything similar for this feature?

Not sure about that - would be interesting to see, though.

I don't see any real way to turn it off. But I also use 3rd party file managers to begin with, because there is a lot I don't like / care for using regular Windows Explorer.

Interesting, what 3rd party file mangaers do you use? Never thought of that before

For the longest time I used Zabkat's Xplorer². which I have upgrade to the Ultimate license. But the interface is a bit antiquated looking (though the native features built into it are far above and beyond any other FM out there). I still have it installed and I use it every once in a while, especially for very specific tasks that it is still better at than any other FM out there.

More recently, a little over 2 years ago, I discovered OneCommander, with a much more modern interface and also very feature-packed. I bought the Pro version of this and it is my daily driver.

Both have a feature called Profiles, which allows you to have multiple pre-set folders / tabs as separate profiles that you can use for specific tasks. Examples that I personally have created and use are:

1. Clean install profile, which I use one pane with my backed up \Users tree and the other in my fresh install, to copy things like browser profiles and such so I can keep all my customizations without having to set u pa new browser profile.
2. Music profile - for editing .FLAC files via Picard to correctly tag and rename and place into appropriate folders.
3. UUPDUMP - for downloading UUPDUMP scripts, running them, and then moving the resultant .ISOs to their correct folder.

And more.

There are also free FMs out there worth exploring - one is the Files app (which I keep handy for niche use cases), and there are also other tried, tested and true FMs like TotalCommander, etc.