How could they have made such a mess of file explorer in Windows 11?

Question

How could they have made such a mess of file explorer in Windows 11?

Henry Parr 20

I HATE the new file explorer. I used to be able to have the main file types, documents, pictures, music etc listed in the navigation pane then drop down submenus to find what I want. If I then wanted to go back to a different submenu they were all still there, so one or two clicks. Now, the stupid Quick access has no drop downs so I have to faff around with different windows or go back to the start, lots of clicks. Or, to get the old drop down go through windows, users, henry, and then there's all the other stuff inbetween.

I don't want all the files I've been looking at displayed every time I open explorer. I have managed to turn this off but there is a message on the screen saying file explorer does not have permission to etc etc. It seems affronted that I stopped it doind some on my PC that I didn't want. How dare I decide for myself!!!

What I really hate is how Microsoft seems intent on making it harder and harder to set things up how you want. The insist that they know best!

I also hate the new photo editing software. As is so often the case they change what was perfectly good and make it more fancy to look at but not as good to actually use. The Highlights slider used to be magic, it's now almost useless.

And as for the settings, there used to be a simple alphabetical list of apps, really easy to use. Now they seem to have lumped them together in boxes so its hard to find anything. They think just because they've added a feature it must be better. No! Very often its worse.

If anyone knows how to get round any of these issues I'd love to hear from them!

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Answer accepted by question author

AI answer

Windows 11 File Explorer can be adjusted to behave much closer to the older layout.

For the navigation pane and folder tree:

Open File Explorer.
If the left pane is missing, select View > Show > Navigation Pane.
To restore the known folders such as Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, and Videos in Quick access, open Home, select the Up arrow near the address bar, then right-click the folder and choose Pin to Quick access.
If the goal is a more traditional tree-style view, enable Show all folders in the navigation pane. This is the accepted guidance in Microsoft Q&A for restoring the familiar hierarchical structure.
If subfolders are not expanding the way they did before, enable Expand to open folder in Folder Options. This is also called out in Microsoft Q&A as still available in Windows 11.

To reduce Quick access clutter:

In Windows 11, File Explorer opens to Home by default.
To open to This PC instead, select See more > Options > Open File Explorer to > This PC > Apply.
This avoids landing on the recent and recommended view every time.

If the goal is to bring back Libraries like Windows 10:

Microsoft Q&A indicates Libraries are still supported in Windows 11 but hidden by default.
Open File Explorer > three-dot menu > Options, then in the navigation pane settings enable Show libraries.
That gives a layout closer to older versions for Documents and similar locations.

For finding files without relying on Quick access:

Search from File Explorer Home for fast results from the PC and cloud.
Search from a specific folder such as Downloads to search only inside that folder.
Search from This PC for a slower but more in-depth search.

Supported fixes from the available guidance are:

Set File Explorer to open to This PC.
Turn on Navigation Pane if hidden.
Re-pin the known folders to Quick access.
Enable Show all folders for a more hierarchical left pane.
Enable Expand to open folder for easier folder-tree navigation.
Enable Show libraries if the older Libraries view is preferred.

The photo editing app and the Settings app layout changes are not covered by the available material.

AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

2 additional answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Hi, Henry Parr

I can understand the frustration. A lot of long-time Windows users feel that Windows 11 prioritizes a cleaner look over the navigation workflow that existed in earlier versions, especially in File Explorer and Settings.

Besides the solutions provided by the Q&A Assist, here are some suggestions you can try:

The quickest way to get a more traditional File Explorer experience is to use Libraries as your main navigation area rather than Quick Access. Libraries can combine Documents, Pictures, Music, and other folders into one expandable section, which is often closer to the workflow people were used to in Windows 7/10.

If you dislike having to drill down through Windows > Users > YourName every time, you can add shortcuts to your user folders directly in the navigation pane by dragging them into the left pane or creating a custom toolbar folder. That keeps your most-used locations only one click away.

For the "File Explorer does not have permission..." message after disabling recent files, try rebuilding the Quick Access cache. Close File Explorer, then clear the contents of:

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations

and

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations

This often removes stale Quick Access data that can trigger permission-related warnings.

Regarding the Settings app, it is recommended that you use the search box at the top of Settings rather than browsing categories. Windows 11's Settings layout has changed several times, but direct search is usually faster than navigating through the grouped sections.

If you strongly prefer the Windows 10-style interface, it is also recommended to look at ExplorerPatcher, a well-known customization tool that can restore many classic Explorer behaviors, traditional context menus, and other interface elements. It is not a Microsoft product, so create a restore point first and download it only from its official source.

Unfortunately, the current Photos app does not provide a way to restore the older Highlights slider behavior. If photo editing is important to you, many users prefer using Paint.NET, IrfanView, or the legacy Photos app if it is still available on their system.

In short, while Windows 11 cannot fully revert to the Windows 10 experience through built-in settings alone, you can make navigation much less painful with Libraries, custom shortcuts, a Quick Access cache reset, and (if you're comfortable with third-party tools) ExplorerPatcher.

Note: This information is provided as a convenience to you. ExplorerPatcher is not controlled by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the above app.

Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you.

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Kai-H 26,385 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-20T08:12:31.9933333+00:00

Hi, Henry Parr

It has been a while and I am writing to see how things are going with this issue.

Have you had a chance to check the replies provided?

Any update would be appreciated.

Answer 2

Sorry to say, but the original poster is correct.
The navigation side panel in Windows Explorer (Win 11 Pro current patch as of 2026.08.29) is a confused frustrating mess.

Mine is split into three section, none labeled, can't be easily reordered, or have their behavior significantly modified,. The top section is the "let's shove OneDrive down the user's throat" section. Nothing against OneDrive, but get it out my face so I can use in the manner I need, not whatever. It really should be combined with the bottom "network" section which also has all my local drive along with any mounted one. But But But the top section begins with Home then Gallery then my One Drive folder.

Quick Access ... isn't.
I add folders for quick access to the middle section so I have quick access to them. But it is the middle section so I often have to scroll to find the correct section, then my "quick access" link.

Please don't misread this as being from someone who is a Window Explorer hater. For my job I use Mac Finder regularly after which Windows Explorer is more than welcome - W Explorer is vastly superior. However, its Navigation Sidebar is a frustrating and poorly-considered mess. As an engineer, I'd summarize it with one word, spaghetti.