File Explorer

Release Preview Channel: 25H2 (10.0.26200.8037) (March&nbsp;10, 2026 &nbsp;( 2026-03-10 ) ) <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Latest_preview_software_release/Windows_11&amp;action=edit">[±]
Beta Channel: 25H2 (10.0.26220.7961) (March&nbsp;6, 2026 &nbsp;( 2026-03-06 ) ) <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Latest_preview_software_release/Windows_11&amp;action=edit">[±]
Dev Channel: 25H2 (10.0.26300.7965) (March&nbsp;6, 2026 &nbsp;( 2026-03-06 ) ) <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Latest_preview_software_release/Windows_11&amp;action=edit">[±]
Canary Channel: 26H1 (10.0.29531.1000) (February&nbsp;18, 2026 &nbsp;( 2026-02-18 ) ) <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Latest_preview_software_release/Windows_11&amp;action=edit">[±]

Windows File Explorer
Windows File Explorer
	File Explorer on Windows 11 in Light App Mode showing special folders on Home, with the new command bar and tabs feature
Developer	Microsoft
Initial release	August 15, 1995
Stable release	26H1 (10.0.28000.1719) (March 10, 2026) [±]; 25H2 (10.0.26200.8037) (March 10, 2026) [±]
Preview release	Release Preview Channel: 25H2 (10.0.26200.8037) (March 10, 2026) [±]; Beta Channel: 25H2 (10.0.26220.7961) (March 6, 2026) [±]; Dev Channel: 25H2 (10.0.26300.7965) (March 6, 2026) [±]; Canary Channel: 26H1 (10.0.29531.1000) (February 18, 2026) [±];
Included with	Windows 95 and later
Predecessor	Program Manager, File Manager
Type	Shell, 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; however, the old name of "Windows Explorer" can still be seen in the Windows Task Manager.