What to know

  • Open Control Panel and click on the up arrow (or press Alt + Up arrow) to get the old File Explorer.
  • Another way to get the Windows 10 File Explorer is to open Windows Tool (from Start) and select ‘This PC’ from the sidebar. 
  • For a more permanent solution, install ExplorerPatcher, open ‘Properties [ExplorerPatcher]’ from Start. Then go to ‘File Explorer’ and change ‘Control Interface’ to ‘Windows 10 Ribbon’. 

Ever since the launch of Windows 11, users have been trying to get back the classic Windows 10 File Explorer. Unfortunately, all the ways and means that allowed users to revert to the File Explorer of old do not work on recent Windows 11 versions.

However, there are still a couple of ways in which you can restore File Explorer to its ribbon-styled interface as it was on Windows 10. So, without further ado, let’s see how to get back the Windows 10 File Explorer in Windows 11.    

How to restore classic Windows 10 File Explorer in Windows 11

Earlier, one could revert to the old File Explorer by tinkering with a few registry string values. However, recent adjustments to the File Explorer in Windows 11 have rendered these useless. Fortunately, there are still a couple of ways that let you restore the classic Windows 10 File Explorer. Here they are: 

Method 1: From the Control Panel

The Control Panel provides the fastest way to access the classic File Explorer on Windows 11.

  1. All you need to do is open Control Panel and then click on the up arrow button.
  2. Alternatively, press the Alt + Up arrow shortcut. And voila!

Without any tinkering or adjustments, you can now access the Windows 10 File Explorer, along with its ribbon interface and all the features that make this the best File Explorer to date. 

Method 2: From Windows Tools

Another, similar way to access the old Windows Explorer is via ‘Windows Tools’.

  1. Firstly, search for Windows Tools in Start and open it.
  2. Windows Tools opens by default in the old File Explorer. So all you need to do is to click on This PC in the side panel.

  3. And just like that, you’ll be on the old File Explorer.

But, there’s a catch. Once you exit the window and open File Explorer normally, you’ll go back to the new Windows 11 File Explorer. So, every time you want to use the old File Explorer, you’ll have to open the Control Panel and click on the up arrow button or open it via Windows Tool. 

This isn’t the most convenient way to access the old File Explorer. Fortunately, there’s a free software (given below) that you can use for a more permanent solution. 

Method 3: Using ExplorerPatcher

ExplorerPatcher is a third-party tool that provides a more permanent solution. The app lets users customize the File Explorer, the Taskbar, Start Menu, etc. while moving elements between Windows 10 and 11. 

  1. Click on the link above to open ExplorerPatcher’s GitHub repo. Then click on ep_setup.exe to get the setup file.
  2. Once downloaded, run the installation.

    Note: If you’re on Windows Insiders Canary edition, you may receive a ‘Program Compatibility Assistant’ error message. But don’t worry. Simply rename the setup (to anything you like) and then run it.
  3. ExplorerPatcher doesn’t have a graphical user interface. So the only way you’ll know if it’s installed is if your taskbar changes.
    Note: This may not be the case on recent Windows Insider editions. But you can use the next step to check if the installation is completed successfully.
  4. To restore the classic File Explorer, press Start, type Properties and select the ‘Properties [ExplorerPatcher]’.
  5. Select File Explorer on the left.
  6. On the right, click on the Control Interface and select Windows 10 Ribbon from the drop down options.

  7. And just like that, you will have restored the old File Explorer with its Windows 10 ribbon. 

In case you need to uninstall ExplorerPatcher, you can do so by selecting ‘Settings and uninstall’ > Uninstall ExplorerPatcher.

So these were a few ways by which you can still access the old Windows 10 File Explorer on Windows 11. Unless you require old File Explorer only temporarily, the ExplorerPatcher is one of the few ways that you can permanently get the old Windows 10 File Explorer on Windows 11.