The imminent arrival of a browserThe styled tab system for Windows 11 File Explorer can also provide an added benefit, new reports suggest.
When Microsoft introduced the new feature, the company emphasized the advantages of a productivity perspective, but it looks like the File Explorer tabs also provide a welcome performance advantage.
As reported by latest windows, users with early access to the feature are finding that opening a new File Explorer tab consumes minimal additional memory resources (in the region of 1MB). Launching in a new File Explorer window, meanwhile, requires about ten times that amount.
In the most modern context computersand mainly professionals work stations, these memory savings are minimal. But again, every little bit helps, and the performance benefit will scale with how much file management the user performs.
Windows 11 File Explorer Guides
The new look of File Explorer has been first announced in Aprilduring an event focused on hybrid work innovations for Windows 11. On the new system, instead of opening an additional instance of File Explorer to look for a new file location, users can simply open a new tab that sits neatly within the same window.
The goal is simple: reduce desktop clutter and make it easier to work in multiple file locations at the same time, reducing the number of windows open simultaneously.
The announcement was well received by Windows fans, who have been asking for the feature for years; practically since it was introduced to macOS in 2013. Until now, users have depended on third party solutions to enjoy Windows 11 functionality, but no more.
The rollout of the new guide system began earlier this month with the arrival of Windows 11 preview build 25136, available to early access program members. It is still unclear when the new version of File Explorer will reach a full public version, but users can at least take solace in the fact that testing has already begun in earnest.
In the meantime, users will also be pleased to know that the new system can also offer a performance boost, which scales with the number of File Explorer tabs one traditionally opens at once.
And that’s also not the only way Microsoft seeks to optimize RAM usage in Windows 11. Recently, the company announced that its new dormant tabs feature for Microsoft Edge has saved users a combined 273 PB of RAM over the last month (about 39.1 MB per tab).
Together, then, the two new features can lead to material RAM savings for users, resulting in superior multitasking performance and extended battery life. What’s not to like?