Solved Want Windows 11 to open File Explorer when I put in a USB drive

miloshapiro · Oct 6, 2023

On my old computer (Win 7), it would automatically open File Explorer for that drive upon insertion. My Win11 computer doesn't do this and I'm assuming there's a way. I tried googling it, but so much of what's out there is for Win 10, despite my putting "Windows 11" in the search. I found one video on how to DISable it, thinking, "Great! I'll just do the reverse!" But it appears that I already have that option set to 'on'. So either that's not where I should be setting this or something is overriding it? Help appreciated!

glasskuter · Oct 6, 2023

You know, I didn't even know there WAS an autoplay setting under bluetooth & devices section. I used control panel>Autoplay to set my default actions. Those actions also relect in settings.

Try resetting autoplay to default. Restart, and set your preferences again.

miloshapiro · Oct 6, 2023

Hi Glass! I tried it your way and got the screen below. In both cases, it looks like I'm set up right. I'm not sure what you mean by setting it to the default, but I just tried changing that first dropdown to "Take no action" and clicked save. Then I came back and set it again to "Open folder to view(File Explorer). Still nothing when I pulled the USB drive in and out, so if that's what you meant by "Restart, and set your preferences again." it didn't help. Unless you meant I'd need to reboot? i've got a bunch Of work open right now so I didn't want to reboot unless I was sure that's what you meant. If that's not what you meant, I didn't want to close everything down for nothing.

Tried doing the same on the first screen I showed you. Same non response with File Explorer.
Thank you so far. Any other ideas?

Josey Wales · Oct 6, 2023

Mine is set just like yours and it works.

Dru2 · Oct 6, 2023

Windows should automatically open explorer when a thumb drive is inserted. It does on mine. I just tested it the be sure.

Dru2 · Oct 6, 2023

glasskuter said:
You know, I didn't even know there WAS an autoplay setting under bluetooth & devices section. I used control panel>Autoplay to set my default actions. Those actions also relect in settings.

Try resetting autoplay to default. Restart, and set your preferences again.

The one in Control Panel is for media as indicated by the icon. The one under "Bluetooth" is for drives and memory cards. The OP would want to check the settings under "Bluetooth"

Don't ask why... I don't know

TechnoMage2021 · Oct 6, 2023

I must have Autoplay turned ON, because I just inserted a Flash Drive into one of my USB ports (actually a HUB) and Windows Explorer opened up and showed me all the files in the root directory of the Flash Drive. I didn't set it like that, , , it's been like that since Win-11 installed.

linw · Oct 6, 2023

I now have open folder checked on ctrl panel and 'BT and Devices' and I don't get Explorer popping up on insert of USB drive.

I am not concerned about that but just thought I would try it!

miloshapiro · Oct 6, 2023

So it sounds like we ALL have the same settings, but it works for everyone but me and "Linw"? Don't know what to do from there to fix this now!

Brink · Oct 6, 2023

As a test, if you set AutoPlay to "Ask me every time" for "Removable drive" do you get a notification prompting you what to do when you connect the removable USB flash drive?

In addition, does it show AutoPlay disabled by policy using either option below?

Enable or Disable AutoPlay for All Drives in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable AutoPlay for all drives for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11. AutoPlay lets you choose an action for different kinds of media when you plug in a device or insert media. You can set AutoPlay to open different kinds of content, such as...

www.elevenforum.com

Fabler2 · Oct 6, 2023

Try this. With the setting as you already have plug the flash drive in the the port. Open file explorer and right click the drive, select more options and select 'open AutoPlay...' you should get this pane opening,

select Open folder to view files. See if that starts it working.

miloshapiro · Oct 6, 2023

Brink: Good idea. I set it to "Ask me every time". It didn't ask me.
But then I tried your other idea at Enable or Disable AutoPlay for All Drives in Windows 11 Tutorial

Although it made me very nervous to run something I didn't know what it was (and still honestly don't), I gave it a try.
Re-plugging my USB then prompted me to ask what I wanted to do!
Then I went back to settings and changed "Ask me every time" to "Open File Explorer" and now it does. Hooray! Thank you all!

Fabler, I tried yours first, btw, since it didn't mean running some script and my options are different than yours. No "more" option (see below). But it looks like i'm set regardless.

glasskuter · Oct 6, 2023

miloshapiro said:
it made me very nervous to run something I didn't know what it was

Don't be leery of anything @Brink puts in his tutorials or any advice he gives you. You can rest easy that anything he posts has been tested and is reliable.
If he furnishes a .reg or .bat file, he always tells you within the tutorial exactly what is in the file.

miloshapiro · Oct 6, 2023

Oh, i've seen Brink's name before so that gave me confidence. :wink:

It wasn't that I wasn't trusting HIM. It's just (as a non-techy) a leery feeling any time I run a script rather than using the screens of windows that have been vetted so much. Just feels like something mysterious happening. But I'm glad I did.

Brink · Oct 6, 2023

miloshapiro said:
Brink: Good idea. I set it to "Ask me every time". It didn't ask me.
But then I tried your other idea at Enable or Disable AutoPlay for All Drives in Windows 11 Tutorial

Although it made me very nervous to run something I didn't know what it was (and still honestly don't), I gave it a try.
Re-plugging my USB then prompted me to ask what I wanted to do!
Then I went back to settings and changed "Ask me every time" to "Open File Explorer" and now it does. Hooray! Thank you all!

Great news. I'm glad it was able to help. :shawn:

The REG was to undo the group policy that disabled AutoPlay so it will be enabled again.

linw · Oct 6, 2023

Yea, that reg entry fixed mine as well.

Cheers, Shawn.

Fabler2 · Oct 7, 2023

miloshapiro said:
Brink: Good idea. I set it to "Ask me every time". It didn't ask me.
But then I tried your other idea at Enable or Disable AutoPlay for All Drives in Windows 11 Tutorial

Although it made me very nervous to run something I didn't know what it was (and still honestly don't), I gave it a try.
Re-plugging my USB then prompted me to ask what I wanted to do!
Then I went back to settings and changed "Ask me every time" to "Open File Explorer" and now it does. Hooray! Thank you all!

Fabler, I tried yours first, btw, since it didn't mean running some script and my options are different than yours. No "more" option (see below). But it looks like i'm set regardless.

View attachment 73289

It looks like you're using a third party app to change the context menu? Never mind as @Brink fixed it. This is what I get with default context,

miloshapiro · Oct 7, 2023

Fabler: No, to fix another problem (one that Windows apparently has acknowledged but didn't fix), someone suggested that I do some option to go back to the win10 right click options. That solved that problem, so now i see things a little differently. The issue was that renaming a drive was renaming the one UNDER what I typed, which caused some big problems. Maybe they've fixed it by now, but it was such chaos at the time that i accepted that suggestion.