Windows 11 update brings back File Explorer features that should never have disappeared

Folder previews finally return

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AsMicrosoftworks on the first major update toWindows 11, codenamedSun Valley 2, there are already some welcome improvements to the File Explorer for Windows Insider users.

As ofWindows 11 Insider build 22557and above - which allows you to sign up to features in testing that are not ready for a final release, you can haveOneDrive, Microsoft’s cloud service, integrated to the top right of a window, so you can see which files are synced and are being uploaded.

Alongside this, folder previews are seeing a return, so you can look at what the folder contains without having to double-click it. You can also pin files to an Explorer window, as well as folders as before, making managing your content a lot easier than before.

It’s yet another example of Microsoft listening to feedback, such as drag and drop coming back to the taskbar, alongside folders to the start menu. But these features to File Explorer arguably shouldn’t have disappeared in the first place, and would have avoided some unneeded irritation to users.

Analysis: Restoring features like a yo-yo isn’t a great experience for users

Sometimes the little features make a big difference when you use a PC or Mac every day. Dragging and dropping to theWindows 11taskbar is another example of a feature being inWindows 10, being absent in the launch of Windows 11, and being brought back in a forthcoming update.

Applehas introduced and removed features for a later date before, but arguably only when there’s been public beta programs for major software updates. A bunch of new features to the Files app andiCloudiniOS 13were held back and weren’t seen in a final version 5 months after they debuted.

But Microsoft does this with public releases, and it’s getting to the point of wondering - why?

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Folder previews and the drag and drop function of the taskbar are features that didn’t need to be removed in the first place. They’re the little features that help the user in their workflows, whether that’s for a day job or gaming.

But on the flip side of this upcoming build, seeing OneDrive integration into the File Explorer window, alongside pinned files are new features that are going to be welcomed by plenty of users. Its functions can help highlight the files that are most important to you, and it’s encouraging to see Microsoft focus on the smaller features of its existing applications.

However, if aWindows 12does appear, one of the best efforts the company could do is to simply not remove the useful features that have no justification in doing so. Build on them, redesign them, but removing them in public releases will only irritate users.

ViaWindows Latest

Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he’s written a book, ‘The Making of Tomb Raider’. His second book, ‘50 Years of Boss Fights’, came out in 2024, with a third book coming in 2025. He also has a newsletter called ‘Springboard’. He’s usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that’s about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.

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