File Explorer

This article is about the Microsoft Windows file listing browser. For exploring file system listings, see file browser. For exploring inside files, see file viewer.
"Windows Explorer" and "explorer.exe" redirect here. They are not to be confused with Internet Explorer (iexplore.exe).

Windows File Explorer
Developer(s)Microsoft
Initial releaseAugust 15, 1995; 29 years ago (1995-08-15)
Stable release
24H2 (10.0.26100.2454) (November 21, 2024; 5 days ago (2024-11-21)[1]) [±]
Preview release
;Release Preview Channel

24H2 (10.0.26100.2454) (November 21, 2024; 5 days ago (2024-11-21)[2][3]) [±]

Beta Channel

23H2 (10.0.22635.4515) (November 22, 2024; 4 days ago (2024-11-22)[4]) [±]

Dev Channel

24H2 (10.0.26120.2415) (November 22, 2024; 4 days ago (2024-11-22)[5]) [±]

Canary Channel

10.0.27754.1000 (November 20, 2024; 6 days ago (2024-11-20)[6]) [±]

Included withWindows 95 and later
PredecessorProgram Manager, File Manager
TypeShell, file manager

File Explorer, previously known as Windows Explorer, is a file manager application and default desktop environment that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the file systems, as well as user interface elements such as the taskbar and desktop.

The application was renamed from "Windows Explorer" to "File Explorer" in Windows 8;[7] however, the old name of "Windows Explorer" can still be seen in the Windows Task Manager.

  1. ^ "November 21, 2024—KB5046740 (OS Build 26100.2454) Preview". Microsoft Support. Microsoft.
  2. ^ "Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.2448 to the Release Preview Channel". Windows Insider Blog. November 14, 2024.
  3. ^ "November 21, 2024—KB5046740 (OS Build 26100.2454) Preview". Microsoft Support. Microsoft.
  4. ^ "Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4515 (Beta Channel)". Windows Insider Blog. November 22, 2024.
  5. ^ "Previewing Recall with Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs with Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel". Windows Insider Blog. November 22, 2024.
  6. ^ "Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27754 (Canary Channel)". Windows Insider Blog. November 20, 2024.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference win8-fileexp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).