Microsoft rolls out File Explorer tabs with latest Windows 11 build

The new feature will help users work across multiple locations at the same time, Windows Insider team says

Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25136 to the Dev channel, which comes with a couple of important new features, including the much-anticipated support for tabs in the File Explorer.

Microsoft has been looking at tabs in File Explorer as a feature for Windows since 2017.

The company experimented with a feature called "Windows Sets," which was meant to add tabs to all apps in Windows 10, including Control Panel, Settings, File Explorer, and more.

However, the experiment was unsuccessful and Microsoft scrapped the project and decided to focus on improving Edge by migrating it to the Chromium engine.

Resuming its efforts to modernise File Explorer, Microsoft recently began redesigning its sidebar and incorporating tabs into the title bar.

Before Microsoft officially confirmed that the feature was coming to Windows 11, a developer had already detected evidence of the new feature in March.

This version primarily adds tabs to File Explorer to make it easier to navigate. Users will be able to access several folders in tabs rather than separate windows.

"To help you work across multiple locations at the same time, the title bar of File Explorer now has tabs. We'd love your feedback on which tabs features you'd like to see next," the Windows Insider team said.

The left navigation pane in File Explorer has also been redesigned, making it easier for users to browse to folders that are important to them.

The updated organisation feature, according to the Windows Insider team, will enable quick access to users' pinned and frequently used folders (Quick access) as well as their OneDrive cloud profiles integrated to Windows.

Microsoft has also incorporated more Dynamic Widgets content to the Windows 11 taskbar, allowing Insiders to view live updates from the finance and sports widgets, as well as breaking news notifications.

"This should make it easier for you to know when something important happens related to these widgets and keep you informed of breaking news," Microsoft explained.

The Windows team also announced testing an improved Notepad app, which includes native support for ARM64 devices as well as support for assistive technology like as screen readers, text scaling and access keys.

A Media Player update is also available to Insiders for testing, which includes CD playback support and a new filtering option that enables users to order their collections by Date Added.

Another change is that Insiders may now report an animated GIF if it is judged offensive or insulting.

These new features aren't accessible to everyone and will only be offered to a select few. The Windows team will wait for feedback before allowing additional testers to use them.

In addition to new features, Build 25136 focuses on bug fixes.

Microsoft claims to have corrected an issue that caused PCs to be mistakenly identified as tablets. This bug enabled compact mode and removed a feature in File Explorer that allowed users to conceal checkboxes.