How to speed up File Explorer in Windows 11

The vast majority of software bugs are, almost by definition, a problem. A bug can cause unexpected behavior, reduce performance, and cause endless other issues. But there is a bug in Windows 11's File Explorer that actually makes it better.

If you've ever thought that File Explorer would benefit from a speed boost, there's some good news. A strange bug can be exploited to noticeably improve performance in a split second.

See also:

• Fix the UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR error in Windows with a BIOS update from MSI
• Microsoft is dropping WordPad from Windows 10 and Windows 11
• Microsoft reminds Windows 11 21H2 users of impending forced upgrades ahead of end of service

All you need to do to earn yourself a faster, more responsive version of File Explorer is to flick it into full-screen mode and back to normal windowed mode again. This means just pressing F11 twice -- or Fn + F11 in some cases.

The tip was shared on Twitter / X by VivyVCCS:

As Vivy points out, in exploiting the bug you will not only boost the speed of File Explorer, but also break the navigation bar. Whether or not this is a price worth paying is something you will have to determine for yourself, but it does seem that performance improves by killing the navbar, strongly suggesting that the bar is to blame for the slowdown.

Image credit: lightsource / depositphotos