Microsoft has been integrating numerous new features into Windows 11. Tabs in File Explorer represent one of the most exciting changes brought to Windows 11 by Microsoft’s Moment 1 update, overflowing taskbar icons, and a redesigned Photos app interface. While File Explorer Tabs might be a convenient way to organize and access your files and folders, they are not for everyone. This post will share how you can enable or disable Tabs in File Explorer on Windows 11.
What Are Windowed File Explorer Tabs?
Windowed tabs are a feature of Windows File Explorer that enables users to open multiple folders within a single window of File Explorer, each in its tab. This feature was introduced with Windows 11. With Windowed tabs, you can open numerous folders simultaneously in File Explorer and switch between them without having to minimize and maximize windows repeatedly; this also makes it easier to multitask.
Your desktop and taskbar may become less cluttered if you use the windowed tabs feature of File Explorer. On the other hand, if you’re working with many monitors, you might find it more convenient to have two separate windows open for each of your file explorers.
How to Disable or Enable Tabs in File Explorer on Windows 11
You might wish to disable Tabs in File Explorer on Windows 11 for various reasons, or perhaps you have not yet received the feature and are excited to try it out. If this is the case, you can read on for more information.
- Enable via Windows Update
- Manage through ViveTool
You will need an administrator account to execute these suggestions.
1] Enable via Windows Update
Here are some things you may test out to get a feel for the new Tabs feature that has been added to File Explorer:
- Start by pressing the Win + I keys on your keyboard to launch the Settings application. You can also search for the same via the Start Search Box and choose the main listed result.
- Next, navigate to the Windows Update section via the left navigation pane.
- In this section, select the Check for Updates option to determine whether or not you have received the Windows 11 update; if you have, use the Download button to begin the process.
- Wait for the update to finish downloading, install the update, restart your computer, and you should now have the Tabs feature on your PC.
2] Through ViveTool
While Microsoft does not officially and readily allow users to disable the Tabs feature in File Explorer, a third-party solution allows users to do so. Here’s how to use the ViveTool to disable Tabs in Explorer.
- Head over to ViveTool’s download page, which can be found at this link (stored at Github.com), and download the most recent available version, 0.3.2, at the time of writing.
- After downloading the ViveTool ZIP file, extract its contents to a folder on your computer. You can use the built-in extraction tool in Windows or a third-party solution such as RAR.
- Once you have extracted the files into a new folder, copy the path to the folder by clicking on the address bar, selecting the entire address, and pressing the copy button.
- Now, press the Win key to bring up the Start Search Box and type in Windows Terminal, then right-click the main listed result and select Run as Administrator.
- Then after, enter the following command and press Enter:
cd <copied path> For example, cd c:\users\yash\downloads\vivetool
- Once you’ve navigated to the folder in the terminal, copy and paste the following commands one at a time to disable the Tabs function in Windows 11.
vivetool /disable /id:37634385 vivetool /disable /id:36354489
- When finished, restart your computer to see the changes take effect.
You may similarly re-enable the feature by using the commands: vivetool /enable /id:37634385 and vivetool /enable /id:36354489 in a similar fashion.
Tabs in Windows 11 File Explorer are convenient for managing files, especially if you have numerous windows open simultaneously; however, new features require adjusting time. While disabling them is not recommended, you may do so through a third-party application. Please let us know why you chose either of the Tabs toggle states.
