How to Access the Hidden File Explorer on Windows

By Ajoy Kumar 4 Min Read
How to Access the Hidden File Explorer on Windows

Good news for you if you are bored with the old interface of File Explorer on Windows. Here, we have a New File Explorer Interface for Windows operating system. Windows has had the same File Explorer interface for ages with few changes in appearance.

Do you know that Windows has a second File Explorer that is hidden? Yes, we have a new File Explores for Windows that adheres to the newer UWP (Universal Windows Platform) standards. The new interface appears to be modern with a cohesive design language. Before discussing; how to access the hidden file explorer, let us discuss what UWP is.

What is UWP?

Universal Windows Platform (UWP) is a Windows application programming interface developed by Microsoft to bring all its apps on the same platform.

The benefit of creating a unified API is to run all apps across all Microsoft devices. It means an app running on Windows 11 will also be compatible with Windows 10, Xbox, HoloLens, Surface devices, and other IoT devices.

If you want to know more about UWP(Universal Windows Platform), you can visit the official document from Microsoft.

How to Access the Hidden File Explorer on Windows

Now let’s come back to our main topic how we can access the new File Explorer. Here in this section, we are going to discuss that.

However, keep in mind that the new File Explorer is still in development; there might be some bugs. Also, some popular features like Pin to Quick Access or List View are not available right now. To access it, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open “This PC” or the old “File Explorer“. Or else, you can also use the Win + E shortcut key to open the File Explorer.

Step 2: After that, “Copy” the below command and “Past” this into the address bar

shell:AppsFolder\c5e2524a-ea46-4f67-841f-6a9465d9d515_cw5n1h2txyewy!App

Step 3: Now, we will get the new File Explorer. You can try it out by yourself.

Note:- The New File Explorer cannot be activated permanently; as it is still in the testing phase. Once you close the window, you need to follow the steps mentioned above; to open it again.

Pin the New File Explorer to the Taskbar

If you liked the hidden File Explorer on Windows and want to use it regularly. You can pin the File Explorer on your taskbar.

For that, just Right-Click on the logo of the new File Explorer and click on the “Pin to Taskbar” option from the context menu. This will pin the new File Explorer to the taskbar.

Conclusion

That’s it; this is how you can access the hidden File Explorer on Windows. You can also check our detailed guide on; how to create a desktop shortcut in Windows 11.

If you find it useful, share it with your friend and family. Also, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section. We are always there to assist you.

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He is a prominent tech writer with over six years of experience and the founder of TheCoderWord. He delivers high-quality content revolving around troubleshooting and how-to guides for Windows, Linux, macOS, Chrome, and more.
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