The refreshed File Explorer is one of the major changes introduced with Windows 11. The new File Explorer ditches the ribbon interface introduced with Windows 7 for a new toolbar.
The File Explorer in Windows 11 certainly looks fresh. In addition to a new toolbar, there is a new context menu as well. Additionally, space between two icons or two items in the File Explorer has been increased so that users on touch devices can easily access files and folders.
The new File Explorer better than the Windows 10 File Explorer in many ways. However, users who have used the classic Windows 10-style File Explorer for years might want to get the Windows 10-style File Explorer in Windows 11 as well.
Luckily, there is a provision in Windows Registry to restore the Windows 10 File Explorer in Windows 11 as well. So, in this guide, we will tell how to restore the Windows 10 File Explorer in Windows 11.
Method 1 of 2
Restore Windows 10 File Explorer in Windows 11
Step 1: Use the search to open the Registry Editor.
Step 2: In the opened Registry Editor, use the left pane to navigate to the following location:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Tip: You can copy and paste the above path in the Registry Editor’s address bar and hit Enter key to quickly navigate the location.
Step 3: On the right-side, perform a right-click on an empty spot, click New, click DWORD-32 Value and name it as SeperateProcess.
Step 4: Finally, double-click on the newly created SeperateProcess to open properties dialog and change its Value Data from the default 0 to 1.
Save your work and reboot your PC. The Windows 10 File Explorer should now be visible in Windows 11.
Method 2 of 2
Create a desktop shortcut for the Windows 10 File Explorer in Windows 11
In this guide, we are creating a desktop shortcut for the classic File Explorer. You can use this shortcut to open Windows 10 File Explorer without disabling the new File Explorer.
Step 1: Perform a right-click on the desktop, click New item, and then click Shortcut. This will open Create Shortcut wizard.
Step 2: In the “Type the location of the item” field, copy and paste the following path:
explorer.exe shell:appsFolder
Click on the Next button.
Step 3: Enter a name for the shortcut. Use Classic Explorer or Windows 10 Explorer for easy recognition. Click the Finish button to create the shortcut icon on the Windows 11 desktop.
You can now double-click on this newly created File Explorer shortcut to open the Windows 10-style File Explorer in Windows 11.
Tip: If you do not like the new File Explorer in Windows 11, install the new Files app from the Store. It is a third-party File Explorer with an excellent set of features.
Our how-to get Windows 10 style Start menu in Windows 11 guide might also interest you.
Ray says
This was my 3rd attempt at trying to get the Win10 Explorer to work and none so far, 2 different registry edits and this shortcut method. None have changed anything…
Patrick J. Keating says
I tried to install the shortcut on the desktop, but when I went into RegEdit I see that I already have an entry in the registry called “SeparateProcess”. Note the spelling. Default value was “1”, indicating that it is already active. Is “SeperateProcess” really a thing?
When I double-click on the new icon I do get something that looks like the old explorer. It has the colored title bar that I was hoping to achieve. But anything I open from the old explorer has the appearance of the new one, that is, the accent color only appears in the narrow rim around the window, not in the bar itself. Should “SeparateProcess” be false to defeat the opening of separate windows with the old appearance?
Is it possible to make the border around windows in the Windows 11 Explorer a bit wider so I can actually see it? The line around the window is very fine, at least on my current very nice 1080p monitor. I have to squint to see that my active and inactive colors really do work, but I’m not a happy camper. I just want some way to easily distinguish active versus inactive windows.
By the way, I notice that there are several web pages that explain about the necessity to add an additional Dword in the registry so windows has the necessary second color value, but nobody mentioned another Dword that I think is new to Windows 11. EnableWindowColorization must be true before you can actually see that two different colors are being used in the very slim border. In general I kind of hate Windows 11. I see many changes that are merely cosmetic. Windows 11 is certainly different–but is it really better in any definable way?
Guy Geenen says
When I create the shortcut (as you described it) I get the Windows 11-style explorer not Windows 10