Windows 11 explorer: problems with restore previous windows and quick access

Hi David,

I'm Amr, an Independent Microsoft Company advisor, and a fellow Microsoft customer. I’m happy to look into this for you.

I understand that you're experiencing several issues with Windows 11 Explorer, here are some potential solutions for these issues:

1. Make sure that you're not using a fast startup profile. Fast startup is a feature that allows Windows to start up faster by saving the state of your computer to disk when you shut down.

This can cause problems with the Restore previous folder windows at logon setting.

To disable fast startup, follow these steps:

. Press Windows+R and type "powercfg.cpl" .

. Click on the Choose what the power buttons do link.

. Click on the Change settings that are currently unavailable link.

. Under Shutdown settings, uncheck the Turn on fast startup (recommended) checkbox.

. Click on the Save changes button.

2. Try resetting the Windows Explorer settings. To do this, follow these steps:

. Press Windows+R and type "regedit" .

. Navigate to the following registry key:

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer"

. Right-click on the Explorer key and select Export.

. Save the registry key to a location on your computer.

. Delete the Explorer key.

. Restart your computer.

. Windows will automatically create a new Explorer key.

. Log back into Windows.

Regarding Increasing Number of Allowed Pinned Quick Launch Items: In Windows 11, please follow this article

https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-11-more-pinne...

Note: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

Regarding Folder Not Updating Immediately with Newly Added Items: If folders are not updating immediately with newly added items or changes to item order, you can try refreshing the folder manually by pressing the F5 key or right-clicking in the folder and selecting "Refresh". Additionally, you can try rebuilding the thumbnail cache by going to Folder Options > View tab > click on "Options" > go to the "View" tab in Folder Options > click on "Reset Folders" > check the option "Restore previous folder windows at logon" and click on "OK". This will reset the folder views and rebuild the thumbnail cache, which may help with the issue.

I hope this helps, please feel free to reply to this if you need any further Assistance.

This is a user-to-user support forum. We're users just like you helping other users to find solutions to their problems.

Kindly

Amr

To give back to the community, help the next person who encounters this problem by indicating whether this reply solved your problem, by clicking yes or no below.

It seems this is a problem with "tabs" in windows explorer.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/restore-previous-folder-windows-at-logon-is-very/6d8db723-3f30-42b0-9570-6bc68e6cbece
I loved this feature in Windows 10. It was the first thing I did turn on in Windows 11, and much to my dismay, found it didn't work. Thought it had something to do with corporate...but then I begrudgingly went to 11 on my personal rig and it did the same thing.

Searched around and it seems MS broke it, and requires a third party fix unfortunately.

Walt, he told you to save regedit file in case if something went wrong. It seems it did and you are not happy, to return back to what it was just click on the backed up reg key file ( the easiest), it will return it to the previous condition. or (alternatively ) use import feature in the regedit app:

WIN key+R

type "regedit" in the run- pop up window. Regedit will start

in the regedit app go to File -> Import.

Point to the saved file and click on open.

Restart

Done.

I am not MS associated, just know how to restore key reg files.

Cheers

Val

Amr if you are still around. I did what you suggested and it screwed things up even more. What was I supposed to do with the saved Registry key?? I never did anything with it. Win11 Home on a Dell Inspiron 5593. Win11 up to date as of Jan 13, 2024.

Hi, Amr,

Thanks for taking time to answer fellow-user questions.
I'm using Windows 11 64-bit, 22H2, on an Alienware Area51 R2 laptop with x64-based processor, 64Gb RAM, i9-10900K CPU.

GOAL: Upon power on or restart, re-open File Explorer window(s) with same tabs available in the/each window and the focus on the same tab and folder where I was when I shutdown/restarted. (This is similar to Chrome's "On startup" setting to "Continue where you left off".)

Got a box to check or a regedit entry to change/make/delete?

Thank you.