File Explorer

This article is about the Microsoft Windows file listing browser. For exploring file system listings, see file browser. For exploring inside files, see file viewer.

"Windows Explorer" and "explorer.exe" redirect here. They are not to be confused with Windows Internet Explorer (iexplore.exe).

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
Release	August 15, 1995 (1995-08-15)
Stable release	26H1 (10.0.28000.2954) (September 8, 2026 (2026-09-08)) [±] 25H2 (10.0.26200.9445) (September 8, 2026 (2026-09-08)) [±]
Preview release	Release Preview: 26H2 (10.0.26300.9278) (August 27, 2026 (2026-08-27)) [±] Release Preview (26H1): (10.0.28000.2954) (September 8, 2026 (2026-09-08)) [±] Beta: 25H2 (10.0.26220.9223) (August 21, 2026 (2026-08-21)) [±] Beta (26H1): (10.0.28020.2818) (August 31, 2026 (2026-08-31)) [±] Experimental: 26H2 (10.0.26340.9233) (August 21, 2026 (2026-08-21)) [±] Experimental (26H1): (10.0.28120.2824) (August 31, 2026 (2026-08-31)) [±] Experimental (Future Platforms): (10.0.29648.1000) (August 17, 2026 (2026-08-17)) [±]
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.