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Home folder in new File Explorer (Windows 11 Pro)

Anonymous
2022-12-03T11:08:14+00:00

I have a problem with the new File Explorer in Windows 11 (Pro) with all the updates installed as of today.

When I open a new window of the new File Explorer I end up in my "Home" folder. Once there, I cannot create new files or new folders, the circled + icon is greyed out.

I have read some answers where so-called "experts" suggested that a virus was on the machine. This is not the case since I have a very fresh and clean Windows 11 Pro installation. Furthermore, the circled + is disabled in many "tutorial" I see online. For example:

https://www.xda-developers.com/windows-11-2022-update-file-explorer-guide/

As you can see in the screenshots the circled + icon is disabled (upper left corner, just below the tab icon and title) when the current folder is "Home" and becomes enabled as soon as the user enters another folder, e.g. Desktop.

If I write "C:\Users<users>" in the "location" text field, I can magically create a new folder. I ended up adding such folder in the quick folder left toolbar, but I, even if I tried hard, I fail to understand why I cannot create a new folder in my home by simply opening a new File Explorer window (WIN+E) then (CTRL+SHIFT+N).

This new "design" slows down the simplest of the operations, that was so easy in all the previous versions of Windows.

Is there any way to just tell Windows 11 to treat this "Home" in File Explorer as a normal folder without messing up with the registry or other black-magic tricks?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Paulo GM 63,460 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2022-12-03T12:52:30+00:00

    Hi thistlillo75, I am Paulo and I'd like to help.

    Sorry to hear you're having this inconvenience navigating this new design. Unfortunately, the creation of folders in "Home" is not allowed as it is only for viewing recent and favorite files and accessing the libraries so the New button (circled + sign you described) there will be grayed out.

    To access your files and folders more seamlessly, you can right-click on an empty space on the navigation pane and select "Show all folders". That should give you access to your personal files and create new folders more easily.

    You can also set This PC instead of Home to open as default when you launch the File Explorer if that's what you prefer. Just click the three dots > Options > Open File explorer to: and set This PC.

    But there will still be changes and fixes in future updates so it is better to give your feedback on this using the Feedback Hub app. :)

    https://aka.ms/WIPFeedbackHub

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2023-03-03T19:30:50+00:00

    I suffered from the same issue, i.e. the "Home" folder inside the explorer always causing an explorer process crash. All the other folders were working, too, so I switched to the "My PC" as start folder. After some more experimentation, I found out, that if I disable "Show files from Office.com" inside the "Privacy Options" section of the explorer settings (the same one that allows switching the start folder), the issue would disappear, and no more crashes happen. Since I have the suspicion that this is some Office 365 authentication issue. Since I'm not interested in seeing those files anyways, I kept the feature disabled.

    I hope this helps.

    9 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2023-07-16T13:43:53+00:00

    I just want to remove it permanently that is all

    6 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. Anonymous
    2023-03-23T17:45:58+00:00

    Now that it's rolled out in windows 11, how about a method to remove it from view that actually does remove it from view. Can you provide that for me please?

    Thanks

    6 people found this answer helpful.
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  5. Anonymous
    2023-07-16T06:10:23+00:00

    Windows explorer.exe HOME concept is confusing, this HOME isn't the /home/user equivalent in Linux.

    You cannot create or show all files, folders there.

    5 people found this answer helpful.
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