General Open and Close Tabs in File Explorer in Windows 11


File_Explorer_banner.png

This tutorial will help show you different ways to open and close tabs in File Explorer for your account in Windows 11.

Starting with Windows 11 build 25136 and build 22621.160, the title bar of File Explorer now has tabs to help you work across multiple locations at the same time.

Starting with Windows 11 build 22622.575, middle clicking a folder in the navigation pane of File Explorer will now open it in a new tab, like clicking a folder in the body of File Explorer already does.

Tabs in File Explorer is now available to everyone in Windows 11 build 22621.675 version 22H2.

Starting with Windows 11 version 22H2 KB5030310 Build 22621.2361, Microsoft has added the ability to tear out and merge tabs in File Explorer.

Contents

  • Option One: Open New Tab in File Explorer using Keyboard Shortcut
  • Option Two: Open New Tab in File Explorer from Title Bar
  • Option Three: Open Location in New Tab in File Explorer by Middle Clicking
  • Option Four: Open Location in New Tab in File Explorer from Context Menu
  • Option Five: Open Duplicate Tab in File Explorer from Tab Menu
  • Option Six: Close Current Tab using Keyboard Shortcut
  • Option Seven: Close Tab in File Explorer from Tab on Title Bar
  • Option Eight: Close Tab in File Explorer from Tab menu
  • Option Nine: Close All Other Tabs in File Explorer from Tab menu
  • Option Ten: Close All Tabs to the Right in File Explorer from Tab menu




Option One

Open New Tab in File Explorer using Keyboard Shortcut


1 While File Explorer (Win+E) is open, press the Ctrl + T keys to open a new tab.




Option Two

Open New Tab in File Explorer from Title Bar


1 While File Explorer (Win+E) is open, click/tap on the Add new tab (+) button on the title bar. (see screenshot below)

Open_new_tab_from_File_Explorer_title_bar.png





Option Three

Open Location in New Tab in File Explorer by Middle Clicking


1 While File Explorer (Win+E) is open, middle click on a drive, folder, or library location you want to open in a new tab.




Option Four

Open Location in New Tab in File Explorer from Context Menu


1 While File Explorer (Win+E) is open, right click on a drive, folder, or library location you want to open in a new tab. (see screenshot below)

2 Click/tap on Open in new tab.

Open_in_new_tab_context_menu.png





Option Five

Open Duplicate Tab in File Explorer from Tab Menu


This option is only available starting with Windows 11 build 22631.3958.


1 While File Explorer (Win+E) is open, right click on the tab you want to open a duplicate of. (see screenshot below)

2 Click/tap on Duplicate tab in the drop menu.

Dupilcate_tab_in_File_Explorer.png





Option Six

Close Current Tab using Keyboard Shortcut


1 While File Explorer (Win+E) is open, press the Ctrl + W keys when you want to close the currently open tab.




Option Seven

Close Tab in File Explorer from Tab on Title Bar


1 While File Explorer (Win+E) is open, click/tap on the Close tab (X) button on the tab you want to close on the title bar. (see screenshot below)

Close_tab_from_File_Explorer_title_bar.png





Option Eight

Close Tab in File Explorer from Tab menu


1 While File Explorer (Win+E) is open, right click on the tab you want to close on the title bar. (see screenshot below)

2 Click/tap on Close tab in the drop menu.

Close_tab.png





Option Nine

Close All Other Tabs in File Explorer from Tab menu


1 While File Explorer (Win+E) is open, right click on the tab you want to keep open while closing all other tabs. (see screenshot below)
2 Click/tap on Close other tabs in the drop menu to close all tabs except the tab in step 1.

Close_other_tabs.png





Option Ten

Close All Tabs to the Right in File Explorer from Tab menu


1 While File Explorer (Win+E) is open, right click on the tab you want to keep open while closing all tabs to the right of this tab. (see screenshot below)

2 Click/tap on Close tabs to the right in the drop menu to close all tabs to the right of the tab in step 1.

Close_tabs_to_the_right.png



That's it,
Shawn Brink


Related Tutorials

 
Last edited:
Click to expand...
so basic.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    self built
    CPU
    Intel i7 gen11
    Motherboard
    Asus H470
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    nvidia 1060
    Screen Resolution
    3k
Tutorial updated to add option five. :alien:
 

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System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
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    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
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    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
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    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
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    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
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    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
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    Logitech wireless K800
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    Windows 11 Pro
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    Laptop
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    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
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    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
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    15" HDR
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    2496 x 1664
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    1 TB SSD
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    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
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    Chrome and Edge
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    Windows Defender
The new explorer windows (or TAB) magic is connected to the "LaunchExplorerFlags" dword value. 0x20 is open in new tab.
Try set HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell default value top "openinnewtab"
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell
"@"="openinnewtab"
And every folder you open is in a new tab.
So I think with a little registry monitoring starting a new explorer in a new tab should be possible.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
tweakradje said:
The new explorer windows (or TAB) magic is connected to the "LaunchExplorerFlags" dword value. 0x20 is open in new tab.
Try set HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell default value top "openinnewtab"
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell
"@"="openinnewtab"
And every folder you open is in a new tab.
So I think with a little registry monitoring starting a new explorer in a new tab should be possible.
Click to expand...

Open in New Tab (Always) - File Explorer?

@dacrone I've just installed a fresh Windows 11 and tried the tool, it works just fine. Are you sure that you've ticked the "All Windows" option from the tray icon menu? It's disabled by default. If so, please share a video or gif image. cant make a screecap right now. but: if i uncheck all...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com

you can run this int he task tray and it will always intercept a window and open it in a new tab instead of new explorer window
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
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