Microsoft fixes restore previous folder feature in Windows 11’s File Explorer

File Explorer in Windows 11 introduced tab support, which is one of the most loved features. Surprisingly, the tabs feature broke an existing feature that allows Windows 11 to restore folders opened previously when you log in to the desktop. Microsoft finally fixed issues with the “Restore previous folder windows at logon” setting, and it works again in newer stable builds.

If you don’t understand how this File Explorer works in Windows 11, let’s break it down. Once enabled, the feature restores all your open File Explorer windows when you restart or log into your PC. It doesn’t work when you shut down your PC.

After updating to Windows 11 22H2, many users found themselves in a predicament. The “Restore previous folder windows at logon” stopped working, which forced them to reopen all the File Explorer windows again manually.

A workaround emerged, which required turning off the tabs feature in File Explorer using third-party tools. This worked for some time, but it backfired with the Moment 4 update, which is why it has always been risky to turn off the tabs feature to retain the window restoration feature.

Windows Latest received feedback from several users, and also spotted a lengthy Reddit thread on File Explorer problem.

There are several complaints on Microsoft forums, too. However, in Windows 11 23H2 after recent updates, the problems do not occur anymore.

We enabled the “Restore previous folder windows at logon” settings and signed out of the PC. After logging in, all the previously opened File Explorer windows reappeared. The same was the case after restarting the PC.

You don’t have to turn off the tabs feature to fix the issue. If you are on Windows 11 22H2, updating to 23H2 can fix this bothersome problem. Remember that Microsoft won’t support 22H2 after October 8, 2024, six months from now.

Meanwhile, several new changes are arriving to File Explorer in 24H2

File Explorer will get duplicate tabs, context menu labels, and more

Windows Latest noticed multiple File Explorer features being tested in the Windows 11 24H2 Insider channel. One of them is adding labels for common actions in the File Explorer’s context menu so that clicking on any icon won’t be confusing.

Another significant change is the ability to create archives in more new formats. File Explorer currently supports ZIP archives, but soon, you can create TAR and 7z archives without needing a third-party app like WinRAR.

A duplicate tab option in the tab’s context menu and Copilot integration are also among the upcoming feature upgrades for File Explorer.

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