Restoring Open Tabs on File Explorer after Restart?


jvickers

jvickers

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Hi, wonderful community.
Does anyone know of a way to restore/retain all the open tabs in file explorer after a restart? I poked around in preferences a bit but couldn't find anything.

Thanks!

Edit: Just to clarify, I mean all the tabs in the same file explorer window.
 
Windows Build/Version
22624.1616
Last edited:

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jvickers said:
Does anyone know of a way to restore/retain all the open tabs in file explorer after a restart? I poked around in preferences a bit but couldn't find anything.

Thanks!

Edit: Just to clarify, I mean all the tabs in the same file explorer window.
Click to expand...
Well, that was a question I had wondered about too, so after some research I found this advice:

  1. Open File Explorer and open all the tabs you want to restore.
  2. Click on the "View" tab in the top menu bar, and click on "Options" on the right side of the ribbon.
  3. In the "Folder Options" window that pops up, click on the "View" tab.
  4. Scroll down until you see "Restore previous folder windows at logon" and make sure it is checked.
  5. Click "Apply" and then "OK" to save your changes.
  6. The next time you restart your computer, all of your previously open file explorer tabs should be restored.
Unfortunately it doesn't quite work. all previously open explorer tabs are restored alright - but as individual explorer windows 😡
 

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    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, and 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2.

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    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

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    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

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Thanks for the response, @Bree.

I already had that box checked. You're right that it doesn't quite work but opens things as individual explorer windows. If you could drag one explorer window and merge it with another, I'd be happy with that, but you can't do that, either. I think I'm going to see if it's reported to the Feedback hub and upvote it. If it's not, I'll stick it on there.
 

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    Ryzen 9 5900X
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    MSI MPG X570S Edge Max WiFi
    Memory
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    ASUS GeForce RTX 4070 Super OC 12GB DDR6 / ZOTAC RTX 3060 Twin Edge OC 12GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Proprietary on MB / FiiO K5Pro DAC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic XG2530 25"/Benq XL2411P 24"/ ASUS VA24DQSB) 23.8"
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 240Hz/144Hz/60Hz (based on monitor setup above)
    Hard Drives
    SK hynix Gold P31 1TB PCIe NVMe Gen3 M.2 2280 Internal SSD
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    Ryzen 7 3700X
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    MSI B550 Gaming GEN3 Gaming Motherboard
    Memory
    32MB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    I forget, but it's old. I can't see the need to upgrade it.
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    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung SSD 3.5"
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Bree said:
Well, that was a question I had wondered about too, so after some research I found this advice:

Unfortunately it doesn't quite work. all previously open explorer tabs are restored alright - but as individual explorer windows 😡
Click to expand...
I reported it to the feedback hub. I'm sure they have larger fish to land, but at least they'll be aware of it.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 RP channel
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900X
    Motherboard
    MSI MPG X570S Edge Max WiFi
    Memory
    Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO 64GB (2x32GB) DDR4 3600 (PC4-28800) C18
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS GeForce RTX 4070 Super OC 12GB DDR6 / ZOTAC RTX 3060 Twin Edge OC 12GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Proprietary on MB / FiiO K5Pro DAC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic XG2530 25"/Benq XL2411P 24"/ ASUS VA24DQSB) 23.8"
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 240Hz/144Hz/60Hz (based on monitor setup above)
    Hard Drives
    SK hynix Gold P31 1TB PCIe NVMe Gen3 M.2 2280 Internal SSD
    ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 1TB
    Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD
    PSU
    Corsair RM1000e
    Case
    Phanteks Enthoo Pro Full Tower Chassis with Window
    Cooling
    Corsair iCUE H60i RGB PRO XT Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    ~950Mb/s download / ~700Mb/s upload
    Browser
    Edge (Chromium)
    Antivirus
    Norton 360
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    MSI B550 Gaming GEN3 Gaming Motherboard
    Memory
    32MB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    I forget, but it's old. I can't see the need to upgrade it.
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    Propietary
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    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung SSD 3.5"
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    Logitech
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    Logitech
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Is there any external application we can use in the interim?
 

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jvickers said:
If you could drag one explorer window and merge it with another, I'd be happy with that, but you can't do that, either.
Click to expand...
Of course you can do this! It's just like with Edge. You both "tear away" tabs from a window, or add a window as a tab to another window. Simply grab a window BY THE TAB and drag it to the window to which you want to add it. Drag it to the right of the last tab.

NOTE: I don't know if behavior is different in some insider builds, but the above applies to both 23H2 as well as 24H2 preview release builds.
 

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That comment you quoted was made before that feature was implemented.

And the original question here has still not been correctly implemented by Microsoft
 

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QTTabBar Groups:

7487.jpg
 

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    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS VivoBook
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