General Change Folder to Open File Explorer to by Default in Windows 11


File_Explorer_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to set File Explorer to open to either This PC, Home (Quick access), OneDrive, Downloads, or a custom location by default for your account in Windows 11.

File Explorer opens to Home (Quick access) by default in Window 11, but you can change File Explorer to open to This PC, OneDrive, or Downloads instead.

Starting with Windows 11 build 22593, Quick access is now called Home. The name Quick access has been repurposed for the pinned/frequent Folders section and Pinned files is now called Favorites to align with Office and OneDrive. Recent and pinned files displayed in Home are now searchable using the search box in File Explorer even if they are not local files, so you can find Office files recently shared with you.

Home (Quick access) shows your pinned and frequent folders and recent files.
  • Quick access (Frequent folders) = Displays up to 11 folders that you pinned or frequently opened on the system.
  • Favorites = Pinned files.
  • Recent (Recent files) = Displays up to 26 files that you most recently opened.
This PC displays your Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music. Pictures, and Videos folders in addition to the usual devices and drives (hard drives, optical drives, and removable devices) and network locations.

OneDrive can sync files between your computer and the cloud, so you can get to your files from anywhere - your computer, your mobile device, and even through the OneDrive website at OneDrive.com. If you add, change, or delete a file or folder in your OneDrive folder, the file or folder is added, changed, or deleted on the OneDrive website and vice versa. You can work with your synced files directly in File Explorer and access your files even when you’re offline. Whenever you’re online, any changes that you or others make will sync automatically.

Downloads opens to your account's Downloads folder.


Contents

  • Option One: Change Folder to Open File Explorer to by Default in Folder Options
  • Option Two: Change Folder to Open File Explorer to by Default using REG File
  • Option Three: Set File Explorer to Open to Custom Location by Default


EXAMPLE: Open File Explorer to "Home", "This PC", "OneDrive", or "Downloads" by default

File_Explorer_Home.png
File_Explorer_Quick-access.png

OneDrive.png
File_Explorer_Downloads.png





Option One

Change Folder to Open File Explorer to by Default in Folder Options


1 Open Folder Options.

2 In the General tab, select Home (Quick access - default), This PC or OneDrive in the Open File Explorer to drop menu for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

OneDrive is only available starting with Windows 11 build 22593.



Folder_Options.png






Option Two

Change Folder to Open File Explorer to by Default using REG File


1 Do step 2 (Home), step 3 (This PC), step 4 (OneDrive), or step 5 (Downloads) below for what you would like to do.

2 To Open File Explorer to Home by Default

This is the default setting.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.​

Open_File_Explorer_to_Home.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)

Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"LaunchTo"=dword:00000002

3 To Open File Explorer to This PC by Default

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.​

Open_File_Explorer_to_This_PC.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)

Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"LaunchTo"=dword:00000001

4 To Open File Explorer to OneDrive by Default

OneDrive is only available starting with Windows 11 build 22593.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.​

Open_File_Explorer_to-OneDrive.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)

Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"LaunchTo"=dword:00000004

5 To Open File Explorer to Downloads by Default

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.​

Open_File_Explorer_to_Downloads.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)

Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"LaunchTo"=dword:00000003

6 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

7 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

8 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

9 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.




Option Three

Set File Explorer to Open to Custom Location by Default


1 Do step 2 (custom) or step 3 (undo) below for what you want.


 2. Set File Explorer to Open to Custom Location by Default

This will override Option One and Option Two.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below.​

This REG file will add the required registry keys and values for you so you will just need to edit it starting at step 2F below for the custom folder path you want instead.


Set_File_Explorer_to_open_to_custom_location.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\shell\OpenNewWindow\command]
@="Explorer \"C:\\Windows\""
"DelegateExecute"=""

B) Save the .reg file to your desktop.​

C) Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.​

D) When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.​

E) You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.​

F) Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe).​

G) Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)​

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\shell\opennewwindow\command​

File_Explorer_open-1.png

H) In the right pane of the command key, double click/tap on the (Default) string value (REG_SZ) to modify it. (see screenshot above)​

I) Change the red part of the Explorer "C:\Windows" path to the folder or drive path you want File Explorer to open to by default, and click/tap on OK.​

For example: Explorer "C:\Users\Brink\Downloads"

or for a drive: Explorer "C:"


File_Explorer_open-2.png

J) You can now close Registry Editor if you like.​


 3. Undo Set File Explorer to Open to Custom Location by Default

This is the default setting.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below.​

Undo_set_File_Explorer_to_open_to_custom_location.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}]

B) Save the .reg file to your desktop.​

C) Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.​

D) When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.​

E) You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.​


That's it,
Shawn Brink


Related Tutorials

 

Attachments

Last edited:
Click to expand...
JACKSPRATNYC said:
Say Brink: Thanks for the reg file. I "merged" the file. No go. Still defaulting to that darn "MyPC". Amazing how the ability to fine-tune some of these features can vanish so quickly with a version 'upgrade' on the same OS. Microsoft sure seems to love MyPC in File Explorer, eh? BTW, Out of the 3 options in "Folder Options": 'This PC', 'Home' & 'Downloads', wouldn't it have been smart for the developers to have added a "browse" option so that the user could have selected a default start folder of their choice? Would have made this issue a non-issue.
Click to expand...
Hello Brink: Okay, I stumbled on what the problem was. In File Explorer's Options/View/Advanced Settings, the "Show all folders" box was unchecked. I restarted File Explorer and it defaulted to C:\. Problem solved. Big thanks to you for helping to troubleshoot this issue. Have a great evening.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 (Build 26100.2605)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF Gaming A520M-Plus WiFi
    CPU
    HexaCore AMD Ryzen 5 4600G, 4300 MHz (43 x 100
    Motherboard
    Asus TUF Gaming A520M-Plus WiFi
    Memory
    Corsair 32GB (16x2)
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon R7 240 (Oland)
    Sound Card
    System
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ACER 24 Inch
    Screen Resolution
    1600 x 900
    Hard Drives
    3 X Samsung SSD 990 EVO 1TB
    PSU
    CORSAIR RMx Series RM850x
    Case
    NZXT H510 - CA-H510B-B1
    Cooling
    Aer F120mm
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes
JACKSPRATNYC said:
Hello Brink: Okay, I stumbled on what the problem was. In File Explorer's Options/View/Advanced Settings, the "Show all folders" box was unchecked. I restarted File Explorer and it defaulted to C:\. Problem solved. Big thanks to you for helping to troubleshoot this issue. Have a great evening.
Click to expand...
Great news. Thank you for posting back with your findings. :party:
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Just wanted to share that using method 3, running explorer.exe directly (in command) starts it as another process. If you have old hardware like i do you can tell it also takes longer and is visually more jarring. You can work around that if you wish by using the "start" command instead, which will open up explorer from an already running instance/process. But using "start" is not possible unless we already are running a cmd instance, and cmd instances can't really be started hidden easily so this is what i did;

Create this vbscript and save it as explorer.vbs:
Code: 
WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Run "cmd.exe /c start %userprofile%", 0, True

The point of vbscript is that it can run cmd without a conhost window (the window normally associated with cmd). There is other ways of achieving this, of course.

If using this method the replace Explorer "C:\" in command with wscript c:/path/to/explorer.vbs (and adjust path to your liking). You could probably edit the command to actually run the content from the file inline instead, negating the need for a separate file, but personally i like to have a file that i can edit and such laying around.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
I must follow up my previous reply with a simplified version as i couldn't figure out how to edit my previous post. The vbscript can be simplified to
Code: 
CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Run "%userprofile%"
This yields the same benefits but is less convoluted. Obvisouly you should edit the path to you liking.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
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