How to Enable or Disable Window Preloading in File Explorer on Windows 11

Option 1Enable or Disable Preloading via Folder Options

File Explorer 📁 preloading can be turned on or off directly through the Folder Options window in Windows 11. This built-in setting controls whether Windows loads File Explorer 📁 in the background so folder windows open faster. You reach it from the three-dot menu in File Explorer and change it on the View tab. It works the same on Windows 11 Home and Pro, and you don’t need administrator rights.

1. Open File Explorer 📁. You can press Win+E, or click the folder icon on the taskbar 🖥️.
2. Click the three-dot menu (…) in the toolbar at the top and select Options. The Folder Options window opens.
3. Click the View tab. You will see a long list under Advanced settings.
4. Scroll through the list and look for Enable window preloading for faster launch times. If it isn’t there, your Windows build doesn’t include the feature yet.
5. Check the box to enable it, or uncheck it to disable it.
6. Click OK. The window closes and the setting is saved.

To undo the change, open the same window and set the box back to how it was. If File Explorer 📁 doesn’t seem to follow the new setting right away, close all File Explorer windows and open one again, or sign out and back in.

Option 2Enable or Disable Preloading via Registry Editor

Registry Editor is a powerful tool used to change advanced Windows settings ⚙️, so you should back up your registry before making any changes. In Registry Editor, click File › Export, choose All as the export range, and save the file somewhere safe. You can then browse to the correct Windows software path and add the value.

If you are signed in as a standard user, Windows will ask for administrator credentials when you open Registry Editor.

1. Press Windows Key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if User Account Control asks for permission. Registry Editor opens.
2. Navigate to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. You can paste it into the address bar at the top of Registry Editor, or expand the keys in the left pane one by one.
3. Right-click an empty area in the right pane and select New › DWORD (32-bit) Value. A new value appears with its name selected for editing.
4. Name it ShouldPrelaunchFileExplorer and press Enter. If a value with this name already exists, skip the creation step and edit that one.
5. Double-click the value. Set Value data to 1 to enable or 0 to disable, then click OK.
6. Restart your computer to apply changes.

To undo the change, set the value back to its previous number, or right-click the value and select Delete to return to the default behavior. You can also double-click the exported .reg backup file to restore your saved registry settings.

Hardware Impact and Performance Analysis

Enabling File Explorer preloading consumes minor background resources, though modern machines equipped with fast storage notice almost no impact. The trade-off is a little memory held in reserve in exchange for quicker folder windows. On a PC with limited RAM, a small difference in memory use may matter more than a faster window.

Summary

File Explorer preloading is a Windows 11 capability that accelerates folder opening speeds through configuration in Folder Options or the Registry Editor. Performance improves while background resources remain dedicated to the task. Disabling the feature frees up those resources should system performance lag. Try it for a few days, and if you don't notice a difference, switch it off again.