What happened? Microsoft has rolled out a silent pre-installed update for File Explorer in Windows 11 Insider builds in hopes of making it open faster and feel smoother. The idea was to load parts of Explorer in memory so that it appears immediately when you click on it. While that sounds smart, the reality is quite the opposite. As found in tests by Windows LatestExplorer still lags compared to Windows 10 and preloading ends up using more system RAM.
- In comparison tests, Windows 11’s “pre-installed” File Explorer opened slower than Windows 10’s regular Explorer, even on lightweight hardware.
- The new version consumes additional memory in the background, meaning systems with modest RAM (e.g. 4-8GB) may be sluggish when multitasking.
- The context menu and folder navigation remain noticeably slower despite the new changes.
- Although preloading is enabled by default in the Insider build, Microsoft has not yet committed to a widespread rollout.
Why this is important: File Explorer isn’t a niche app; It’s at the core of how you browse files, move folders, open documents, manage downloads, and more. If it doesn’t feel snappy, everything else on your PC can feel sluggish too. Worse, if the “fix” itself eats up RAM and still delivers subpar performance, it feels like a downgrade. Therefore, for users of lower-spec computers (e.g. budget laptops, tablets, or older desktops), this could limit usable memory for web browsers, development tools, or other apps. Even for power users juggling heavy workloads, the additional overhead can introduce enough lag to impact responsiveness.
Additionally, because this update pushes basic UI boundaries (by mixing old Win32 components with newer WinUI), it suggests that Windows 11’s core design options are still impacting performance. If File Explorer, which is literally one of the most basic Windows tools, isn’t working smoothly, other interface-dependent tasks could also suffer.
Why should I care? If you’ve ever clicked on File Explorer in Windows 11 and wondered why it feels a little… sticky, then you can’t be imagining it. The app has long had a reputation for being slower and heavier than it should be, and that’s exactly what Microsoft’s new “preloading” trick aims to fix. Instead, WindowsLatest’s tests show the opposite: it loads slower and uses more RAM. So what was actually intended to improve the experience is to add weight to an already sluggish interface.
For regular users, this means Explorer may feel even more inconsistent: context menus take longer, folder navigation hangs longer than expected, and the redesigned interface struggles with its modern look. And if your laptop doesn’t have enough RAM to begin with, preloading just steals resources for a function that doesn’t deliver the promised speed at all. In short: the one part of Windows that you open dozens of times a day still isn’t getting the improvement it deserves.
Okay, what’s next? For now, it’s worth keeping an eye on upcoming Insider builds to see if Microsoft admits that this preload experiment needs to be reconsidered. The Explorer is too important to remain so clunky. Therefore, expect further optimizations, rollbacks or major redesign attempts in the coming months. Alternatively, if you’re already feeling the slowdown, you can try disabling preloading or trimming visual effects. It won’t fix everything, but it may make Windows 11 feel less sticky while Microsoft figures out how to avoid stumbling over its own interface.
