Windows 11 has brought numerous changes to the user interface of the previous Windows 10 OS. Though many of these changes are graciously welcomed by the avid Windows OS users, one change that many users are disliking is the new design of File Explorer.
If you are a fan of the ribbon menu and other options like view extensions on Windows Explorer, you will be disappointed by Windows 11’s file explorer as it lacks all such options. The traditional context menu is also unavailable. On top of that, the buttons for essential functions such as cut, paste, and rename are only icons without any text above them.
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If you have switched to Windows 11 from Windows 10, you might find it challenging to get your hands on the new Windows 11 File Explorer. However, the good news is that you can easily switch back to the older Windows Explorer style with simple Registry hacks. Using these tricks, you can still enjoy Windows 11 and all its other functions, keeping the classic File Explorer.
How to get Windows 10 File Explorer on Windows 11?
Note: Before making any changes, it is advised to take a backup of all registries so that they can be restored in case of a mishap.
Using Registry Editor Method 1
To get the Windows 10’s file explorer back after switching to Windows 11, follow these steps:
Click on the Windows 11 Search button to launch the search box.
On the search box, type Registry Editor and click on its icon to launch it.
On the Registry Editor interface, navigate to this location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions.
Under Shell Extensions, right-click and create a new key and name it Blocked.
Right-click on the newly created Blocked key and select New -> String Value.
Right-click on the String Value and rename it to {e2bf9676-5f8f-435c-97eb-11607a5bedf7}
Close Registry Editor.
To apply the above changes, you require to restart Windows Explorer. For that, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the Windows 11 Start button and select the Task Manager from the context menu.
- After the Task Manager window is launched, click on More Details.
- Search for the Windows Explorer process and select it.
- Right-click on it and choose the Restart option to restart the Explorer process and apply the taskbar position modification.
After restarting Windows Explorer, you will notice that it is back in the Windows 10 style. However, some changes will be permanent, like the color of the Folders.
Using Registry Editor Method 2
There is another way to switch back to Windows 10 File Explorer using the Windows 11 Registry Editor. Follow these steps:
- Launch Windows 11 Registry Editor, using the way explained in the previous section.
- Navigate to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
- Right-click on the Advanced key and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name it SeparateProcess.
- Double-click on it and change its Value data to 1.
- Exit the Registry Editor and restart the system.
Bottom Line
Although Windows 10 has many problems, File Explorer is not one of them. It is clean and straightforward. Therefore, it might be difficult for many users to cope with the new Windows Explorer after upgrading to Windows 11. With the methods listed in this post, you can easily convert your Windows 11 File Explorer to Windows 10.
Peter is an Electrical Engineer whose primary interest is tinkering with his computer. He is passionate about Windows 10 Platform and enjoys writing tips and tutorials about it.
