Windows 11 File Explorer Preloading Tested—Worth It or Not?

Windows 11 brings a fresh and modern design, but one thing many users notice is that File Explorer feels slower compared to Windows 10. Microsoft knows about this issue, and they are testing a new solution: preloading File Explorer on startup. But does it actually help? Let's break it down in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

💡 What Is File Explorer Preloading?

Preloading means that when you turn on your PC, Windows automatically starts File Explorer in the background. So when you open it manually, it should launch faster.

This also means:

• It uses more system resources.

• File Explorer keeps running even when you close the window.

Some users tested this new feature and found something surprising:

Even with preloading, Windows 11 File Explorer is still slower than Windows 10.

⚡ Testing the Faster File Explorer

When comparing:

• Normal File Explorer vs. Preloaded File Explorer in Windows 11

The preloaded one does open a bit faster. But the real improvement depends on one important setting.

🚀 The Simple Fix: Change the Startup Location

By default, File Explorer opens to the Home page. This page takes time to load, making File Explorer feel slow.

You can make it MUCH faster by switching it to This PC.

How to Do It:

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Click the three-dot menu (top-right).

3. Select Options.

4. Under "Open File Explorer to:", change Home → This PC.

5. Click Apply.

Now try opening File Explorer again—you’ll notice a big difference instantly.

Even the regular File Explorer (with no preloading) becomes almost as fast as the preloaded version.

💻 Resource Usage

• Preloaded File Explorer keeps using around 100+ MB of RAM in the background.

• The normal File Explorer uses similar memory only when opened.

So preloading doesn’t save resources—it actually consumes more.

🧐 Why Is Windows 11 File Explorer Slow?

Windows 11 uses a mix of old and new UI technologies:

• WinUI for the modern interface

• Win32 for older dialogs (e.g., Properties window)

This mixture makes File Explorer feel inconsistent and slower.

📴 Should You Disable Preloading?

If preloading becomes available on your Windows build, you can turn it off:

• Go to Options > View.

• Uncheck Enable window preloading for faster launch times.

Turning it off saves resources and won’t significantly impact speed—especially if you already changed the startup location to This PC.

🎯 Final Thoughts

Preloading File Explorer sounds helpful, but in reality:

• The speed difference is minimal.

• It uses extra system resources.

• Opening File Explorer to This PC is the real solution.

Windows 11’s File Explorer may still never beat Windows 10 in speed, but with this simple tweak, you can improve your experience without waiting for Microsoft’s updates.

I’ve also made a video on this topic — you can watch it below.

Check out my other posts, I post useful tutorials and tech tips, maybe you will find something useful 😉.