Windows 11 File Explorer - focus jumps to address bar when creating new folder

I asked ChaptGPT for a summary:

You’ve run into a known File Explorer bug that first showed up in late‑2023 builds of Windows 11 (23H2) and still pops up for some people on 24H2. When you make a new folder, the UI should keep keyboard focus on the folder so you can rename it—instead, it slides up to the address bar (often with a drop‑down that blocks the view) and you have to click or press Esc before you can type. Microsoft has acknowledged the focus problem in Feedback Hub and Insider release notes and has been rolling out fixes, but not everyone has them yet.

Then I tested by creating a new folder and no longer have the focus issue!

So despite silence from MS, it looks like they are working on the problem.

My probIem was on a laptop with these specs:

M$ Windows 11 Pro

Version 10.0.26100 Build 26100

System Manufacturer Dell Inc.

System Model Latitude 5531

System Type x64-based PC

System SKU 0B0F

Processor 12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-12500H, 1700 Mhz, 12 Core(s), 16 Logical Processor(s)

BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. 1.29.0, 2/6/2025

Hope the fix is permanent and that other users are similarly finding the issue is resolved.

Also happens when:

• I rotate images using the picture tools,
• double-click a file to open it,
• and randomly when navigating subfolders.

Merci - been having issues with this for what feels like forever! That has worked perfectly.

It doesn't work if I navigate by directly typing in the search bar. It in fact breaks the fix and the setting needs to be done in the folder options again to fix it. However, I can still navigate up the file tree by clicking on the folders in the search bar as long as I don't enter a file path in text.

Thank you for confirming. This is clearly still a bug that Microsoft needs to address.

The "fix" you've been using simply resets the focus. That's why it "breaks" again when you enter a path in the address bar. Those options are a red herring. You don't even need to change any option. Just bring up the Folder Options dialog and click OK and that's enough.

You can also "fix" the issue by pressing the Tab key until an item is highlighted in the main window (takes about 5 presses). That also resets the focus.

There are two fundamental problems (that Microsoft must fix) in regards to this annoying issue:

1. Clicking on the main window does not change the focus from the address bar to the main window, as it should.
2. Selecting any item from the upper-left "New" menu does not automatically set the focus to the main window, as it should.

Neal, did you see my post above?

Please try changing the current folder by typing a path in the address bar and then hit Enter.

Then try New > Folder (from the command bar, not right-click). Does it work correctly?

It doesn't work if I navigate by directly typing in the search bar. It in fact breaks the fix and the setting needs to be done in the folder options again to fix it. However, I can still navigate up the file tree by clicking on the folders in the search bar as long as I don't enter a file path in text.