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Starting with Windows 11, File Explorer now has the ability to open multiple tabs like you can with your web browser so you can toggle back and forth between different folders or drives without needing to open a new File Explorer window. Even Notepad and PowerShell have this feature built in. But unlike your web browser or Notepad, when you close File Explorer, it will not save your open tabs for next time you open the app. Fortunately, Microsoft has realized that many people want this feature and are now including it with Windows. In this article, we will be showing you how to make Windows File Explorer remember open tabs on reboot or login.
If you are like most people, then you have multiple File Explorer tabs open at the same time to make it easier to manage your files and folders just like you do when keeping multiple webpages open in tabs with your web browser. So it would be nice to be able to restore those File Explorer tabs when you log back into your computer.
To make File Explorer remember open tabs, all you need to do is make a simple change to the Folder Options settings of File Explorer. But the catch is that you need to be on a certain build of Windows for this to work. This feature is being rolled out so you may find that this does not work and if that’s the case, you will most likely need to wait until your version of Windows gets updated to the right build level.
To configure the option to have File Explorer remember open tabs on reboot or login, you will need to open File Explorer and go to the Folder Options. You can do so by clicking on the ellipsis (…) in the toolbar and then choose Options.
Next, you will need to go to the View tab and check the box that says Restore previous folder windows at login. You will most likely have this option for File Explorer even if you are not on the correct build for the feature to work.
If your open tabs are not getting reloaded, then you may also want to go to the Windows settings under Accounts > Sign-in options and enable the setting for Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign in. You most likely don’t need to do this, but is another option you can try if things are not working the way they should.
To have File Explorer remember and reload your open tabs, you will need to leave File Explorer open when shutting down or logging off your computer, otherwise it will not work. It could be possible that Windows will restore your tabs even after closing File Explorer in the future so look out for that.
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