Microsoft Is Quietly Making Windows 11 File Explorer Faster

Microsoft continues its push to improve Windows 11 performance, and File Explorer is now getting another round of optimizations. As Microsoft works on its broader internal Windows K2 quality initiative, the company appears focused on making core parts of the operating system feel faster and more reliable.

The changes come shortly after the company introduced a new, modern Run dialog that launches faster than the legacy version. Now, attention has shifted toward improving the responsiveness of File Explorer, one of the most criticized parts of Windows 11.

Microsoft is preloading File Explorer in the background

According to reports from Windows Latest, Microsoft has started improving File Explorer launch speeds by preloading parts of the app into memory before users open it.

The idea is simple. Instead of loading File Explorer only after a user clicks it, Windows 11 now keeps parts of the experience cached in RAM ahead of time. This allows File Explorer to appear almost instantly when launched.

The tradeoff is additional memory usage. Reports suggest the feature uses around 35MB of RAM in the background.

Some users welcomed the faster startup times, especially on lower-end devices where File Explorer delays have remained noticeable for years. Others criticized the approach and argued Microsoft should focus on fixing the underlying architectural issues instead of masking them through preloading.

Why File Explorer still feels slow

The startup delay is only part of the problem. Many Windows 11 users complain more about sluggish navigation, delayed context menus, thumbnail loading, and occasional hangs inside File Explorer itself.

A major reason involves the app’s mixed architecture. Modern versions of File Explorer combine older Win32 components with newer XAML and WinUI 3 layers. While this transition helps Microsoft modernize the interface visually, it also adds extra overhead.

Those additional layers can increase latency and create responsiveness problems even after File Explorer opens successfully.

Because of that, some critics described the new preload system as a temporary workaround instead of a complete fix.

Microsoft says optimizations are happening in parallel

Reports indicate Microsoft is not relying solely on preloading. The company reportedly follows an “AND” strategy internally, meaning it plans to combine instant-launch techniques with deeper performance improvements over time.

Microsoft continues removing unnecessary background tasks and animations that can slow File Explorer responsiveness. The company also appears to be improving how File Explorer initializes during startup for faster launches.

Additional optimizations target excessive disk reads and system hangs, both of which can affect responsiveness during everyday use. Microsoft also continues gradually transitioning Windows 11 toward newer UI technologies as part of its long-term modernization effort.

The latest performance work likely represents only part of Microsoft’s broader File Explorer overhaul. Windows 11 is also expected to receive a redesigned modern Properties dialog inside File Explorer as Microsoft replaces more legacy Windows interfaces.

Users should expect gradual improvements over the coming months instead of one massive update. While preloading alone may not solve every File Explorer complaint, Microsoft appears to be targeting both short-term responsiveness and longer-term architectural fixes simultaneously.