Microsoft tests preloading File Explorer in Windows 11

There are Windows tools so integrated into our daily routine that we barely pay attention to them until they start to run slowly. Windows 11 File Explorer has become one of those points of friction.: opens folders rather sluggishly, Sometimes he pauses to think for a few seconds and, on less powerful systems, It can freeze at the worst possible moment..

After months of complaints and comments from users around the world, including those from Spain and the rest of Europe, Microsoft has stepped forward and admitted that the Explorer is not performing as it should.To try to alleviate the situation, the company is testing a silent change: Keep part of the Explorer loaded in the background as soon as you log in, so that the first window appears almost instantly.

Microsoft acknowledges the File Explorer performance issue

Since the launch of Windows 11, many users have noticed that File Explorer feels slower than in Windows 10The interface is more modern, with tabs, OneDrive integration, a gallery, recommendations, and new context menus, but behind this facelift, several side effects have appeared.

Among the most common complaints are The delay when opening folders, the slight stutters when navigating through directories with many files, and occasional freezes which forces you to close and reopen the application. In some configurations, the Explorer even temporarily stops responding to mouse clicks, especially after long sessions or when working with heavily loaded paths.

All of this has had a curious consequence: Third-party alternative file explorers have proliferatedThese alternatives are designed to replace the native Windows file manager. For many advanced users in Europe, installing an alternative tool has become a shortcut to bypass the slowness of the official Explorer.

Microsoft itself now admits that Explorer's behavior in Windows 11 does not meet expectationsespecially when compared to the faster response offered by Windows 10. After several waves of updates focused on the interface and artificial intelligence, it's time to start looking under the hood.

The plan: preloading File Explorer in the background

To try to make it more agile, the company has begun testing a background File Explorer preloading mechanismThe idea is simple: as soon as you log in, Windows prepares some of the Explorer components in advance and keeps them ready in RAM, even though the user hasn't opened any windows yet.

This feature is being rolled out experimentally in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7271 (KB5070307)It's available in the Dev and Beta channels, and has also been mentioned in the Canary channel, the most advanced. In these builds, Pre-loading is enabled by default.so that the first time you open Explorer — whether from the taskbar icon or with the Win + E combination — it should feel noticeably faster.

As Microsoft explains in the Insider build notes, The goal is for the change to be virtually invisible to the user.No hidden windows or strange elements will appear on the desktop: the only thing you'll notice is a reduction in the waiting time when you open Explorer for the first time after starting your PC.

In internal tests, the company claims that The improvement in Explorer startup time is clear, without a significant impact on total memory usage.In some laboratory scenarios, reductions of around 30-40% are reported in the initial opening, although navigation within large folders still depends on the disk, the network and the complexity of the directory itself.

How preloading works and where to configure it

The technical mechanics are relatively classic: Windows starts the Explorer process and preloads key components during session startupby keeping them resident so they don't have to be loaded "cold" when the user opens the window for the first time. It's a similar approach to other system services that are prepared in advance to gain response time.

Although the behavior is automatic, Microsoft has included an accessible switch to enable or disable the feature.Everything is managed from within File Explorer itself, without resorting to the registry or external tools, which is important for IT departments and advanced users who want to control resource consumption on their computers.

The setting appears as a box called “Enable window preloading for faster launch times” Or, translated in the folder options, "Enable window preloading for faster launch times." The path to change it is as follows:

• Open the File Browser of Windows 11.
• Click on Options or "Folder Options" in the ribbon or context menu.
• Enter the tab "Watch".
• Find the box "Enable window preloading for faster startup times" and check or uncheck it as preferred.

With this switch, Microsoft is trying to offer a balance between greater fluidity and control over memory.Those who want to experience a more responsive Explorer can leave preloading enabled; those who prioritize maximizing every megabyte of RAM, especially on modest computers, can revert to the classic behavior and do without additional resident processes.

Advantages and limitations of preloading the Explorer

The biggest benefit of this new feature is in the immediate perception of speed when opening the Explorer for the first timeThat second—or fraction of a second—that the system used to spend preparing the window is reduced, which helps Windows 11 seem more responsive, especially at the start of the workday or after a restart.

In offices, schools, and homes in Spain and other European countries, where file management is a constant task throughout the day, these small delays can accumulate and become annoying; implementing a digital hygiene guide This helps mitigate them. Speeding up Explorer startup helps smooth the experience and reduce the "micro-interruptions" that break the workflow.

However, Preloading is not a magic bullet for all problemsThis only affects the initial window opening time; if the bottleneck is a slow hard drive, a network drive with high latency, or folders with thousands of items, internal navigation may still feel sluggish. Microsoft acknowledges that there is still room for improvement in these situations.

Furthermore, Keeping components loaded in RAM incurs a small resource cost.On modern computers with NVMe SSDs and 16 GB of memory or more, the impact will be almost imperceptible, but on basic laptops or older office machines — still very common in many European SMEs — that extra power consumption can compete with other applications.

The company insists that The additional memory consumption is moderate. and that the background process shouldn't aggressively crowd out other programs. Even so, some veteran platform experts have criticized the approach, pointing out that in the era of fast SSDs, the ideal solution would be to optimize the Explorer's own code instead of resorting to preloading tricks.

Criticism and debate surrounding Microsoft's decision

The introduction of preloading has generated an interesting debate between developers, former Microsoft executives, and advanced usersOne of the most prominent voices has pointed out that, with widely deployed NVMe SSDs, an application as simple in theory as Explorer should open almost instantly without needing to reserve memory in advance.

Those who share this view believe that Preloading is a quick fix for the symptom, but not for the underlying problem.They point out that Windows Explorer in 11 has become increasingly complex, with layers of added technologies and features, while optimization has taken a backseat. From this perspective, the company should focus on slimming down and refining the component instead of hiding its bulk under background processes.

On the other hand, other users appreciate that, Although the measure isn't perfect, it does improve the daily experience.Many users simply open and close folders, drag and drop files, or access the Downloads folder, and for that user, the feeling of quick response is almost more important than what happens under the hood.

In the European context, where mixed environments abound with Modern PCs coexisting with repurposed older equipmentThe key will be being able to decide on a case-by-case basis. System administrators in companies and public organizations will be able to assess whether it makes sense to enable preloading generally, limit it to certain user profiles, or disable it to save memory on specific workstations.

In any case, Microsoft's move makes one thing clear: The perceived smoothness of the Explorer remains a sensitive issue for users.And the company cannot afford to ignore this if it wants Windows 11 to establish itself as a fully accepted successor to Windows 10.

Additional changes to the Explorer: more organized menus and design

Taking advantage of the same batch of Insider builds that introduces preloading, Microsoft is also adjusting the design and menus of File Explorer.The company has been trying for some time to simplify the context menu —the one that appears when you right-click—, which over the years had become filled with options, icons and shortcuts added by all kinds of applications.

In recent builds, the menu is being reorganized to group secondary commands under more logical elementsThe most frequently used actions are kept visible first. Operations such as "Compress to ZIP file", "Copy as path" or "Rotate image" are integrated into clearer submenus and floating menus, with the aim of reducing visual clutter.

Commands related to cloud services—for example, OneDrive options such as "Always keep on this device"— have been moved to vendor-specific dropdown menus, avoiding cluttering the main menu. Other functions, such as "Open folder location", have been repositioned for more intuitive access.

Alongside this, Microsoft is testing a new floating "Manage File" menuwhich brings together several common actions in a single point, and a somewhat cleaner context menu. The stated intention is to make Explorer seem less overwhelming without sacrificing important tools for advanced users.

However, part of the community perceives these changes as a form of hide options that were previously just a click awayWhat Microsoft describes as "simplifying," many see as a further step towards less direct menus, forcing users to navigate through several levels to reach functions they used daily.

Impact and roadmap for users in Spain and Europe

The Explorer preload feature is still in the testing phase within the program Windows Insider, in the Dev, Beta and Canary channelsThis means that, for now, only a subset of volunteer users have it active on their computers and can send feedback to Microsoft through the integrated feedback system.

For the general public, the company aims to a wider rollout throughout 2026With preloading enabled by default in standard Windows 11 installations. In the case of Europe, where additional transparency requirements and user options are usually applied, the fact that the checkbox appears in Folder Options will make it easier to comply with internal policies of companies and administrations.

For households and small businesses in Spain, The change should result in a browser that opens faster. After turning on the computer, without the user having to touch anything. Those who prefer can disable the function in a few steps and return to the previous behavior.

In corporate environments, IT managers will be able to define whether preloading is part of the organization's standard configuration or if it is disabled via policies to preserve memory in entry-level laptops or very basic systems. The ability to decide is especially relevant in mixed environments where different generations of hardware coexist.

Although Microsoft claims that preloading does not significantly compromise overall system performance, The next few months of testing within the Insider program will be key. to detect potential incompatibilities, measure the real impact on different configurations, and adjust the behavior before the feature reaches millions of PCs.

Microsoft's decision to Preloading File Explorer in Windows 11 reflects just how crucial perceived speed remains. in the experience with the operating system. The combination of this optional feature, the adjustments to the context menus, and the continuous modernization of Explorer points to a clear objective: to make file management smoother and less frustrating on a daily basis, both for home and professional users in Spain and Europe, without sacrificing control over how the computer's resources are used.