If you remove File Explorer from the taskbar in Windows 11, you might not know how to get it back. Here’s how to open File Explorer and pin it to the taskbar again.
To place the File Explorer icon on the taskbar, you have to run it first. To do so quickly, press Windows+e on your keyboard. Or, you can open Start, type “file explorer,” and then click the File Explorer icon or hit Enter.
When the File Explorer window opens, locate its icon (which looks like a manila folder in a blue stand) on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
Place your mouse cursor over the File Explorer icon and press the right mouse button (right-click). In the menu that pops up, select “Pin to Taskbar.”
After that, the File Explorer icon will stay on your taskbar, even if you close the File Explorer window. If you’d like, you can click and drag the icon around on the taskbar to reposition it.
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Other Ways to Quickly Access File Explorer
If you’d like to add a quick File Explorer shortcut to the Start menu, open Windows Settings and navigate to Personalization > Start > Folders, and then switch “File Explorer” to “On.”
With that enabled, you can open Start and click the small folder icon beside the Power button to launch File Explorer at any time.
Another way to quickly open File Explorer in a pinch is by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting “File Explorer” from the menu that appears. Good luck!
RELATED: How to Add Folder Shortcuts to the Start Menu on Windows 11