How to enable preloading File Explorer Windows 11

Instead of launching File Explorer when you click to open the taskbar icon, Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7271 keeps a preloaded File Explorer window in the background, called preloading File Explorer. This reduces the latency of opening File Explorer by performing most of the setup operations earlier. Here's how to enable preloading File Explorer in Windows 11.

Instructions to enable preloading File Explorer Windows 11

Step 1:

Open File Explorer on your computer, then click on the 3-dot icon and select Options to open the customization interface for Windows File Explorer.

Step 2:

To display the new settings interface, click on the View tab, then look down below, we select Enable window preloading for faster launch times . Click Apply and then select OK to save the changes.

While File Explorer has been enabled and launched faster, computers with older hardware configurations sometimes have trouble launching File Explorer. However, this change should help speed up the experience of opening File Explorer, especially on devices with weaker configurations, such as tablets.

Kareem Winters

Update 08 December 2025