Microsoft has made a series of improvements to the Explorer app in the Insider Preview version of Windows 11. For example, you can now duplicate tabs.
Microsoft introduced tabs in Windows 11’s File Explorer app in 2022, just like in a web browser. This allows you to view several folders at once and open as many as you want. However, duplicating tabs was not possible until recently. If you wanted to open a folder twice, you had to do so via the folder list. This will change soon: Microsoft recently added this option to the beta channel of Windows 11, version 22535.
This way you can duplicate a tab
To duplicate a tab, right-click on the desired tab. In the pop-up menu, choose “Duplicate”. Microsoft now opens the folder a second time in the Explorer window. This way you can keep the original folder open while you search other subfolders.
Bug fixes and Copilot
The preview version of Windows 11 also contains some bug fixes. For example, a bug has been fixed in Explorer that caused a memory leak when opening ZIP files. A visual bug that caused icons to appear too far apart has also been fixed. The announcement of the beta version also mentions the integration of Copilot. This AI chatbot is of great importance to Microsoft and would also be integrated into Explorer.
Microsoft has temporarily halted the integration of Copilot into the Explorer app due to “user feedback.” The company uses this feedback to improve the Copilot experience. It is not known exactly what the feedback contains. It is possible that the AI integration has been more of a burden than a useful extra for many users until now.
In the Explorer app, the AI was already visible in the context menu, where it could advise users. The rollout of this appears to be on hold for the time being. In Europe there is little noticeable of it anyway: Copilot is only available here in the browser, not locally on the PC.
AI future
That may soon change. Microsoft will be launching various AI features in the near future, including the first AI PCs with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chipsets. These laptops have, among other things, an AI Explorer function. Other AI features are also expected to appear at that time.
