Windows 11 has a new method for sharing files in the works. A recently discovered hidden feature allows you to drag content from File Explorer to the top of your screen to share that file. The “Drag Tray” was spotted by well-known Windows sleuth phantomofearth. They shared a video of the feature in action and provided details on how to enable it.
If you drag a file into a specific app within the tray, it appears that Windows 11 will jump into that app directly. There is also a “More options” section within the Drag Tray that seems to open the Windows 11 share menu.
To try the Drag Tray, you’ll have to use a third-party tool called ViveTool. The feature is hidden within Windows Insider Build 22635.4805, which is available through the Beta Channel. As noted by phantomofearth, the ID for the feature is 45624564,53397005.
Microsoft is experimenting with a new file sharing UI in Windows 11: the “Drag Tray”. When dragging a file, the tray shows up at the top of the screen with a drag here to share hint and lists a few apps. Has a more options button to open the share sheet. (hidden, Beta 22635.4805) pic.twitter.com/LXpkTwKZu2January 24, 2025
Windows 11 already has several ways to share files, including a right-click option through File Explorer. I prefer the Drag Tray since the feature is less cluttered than navigating through a context menu. The Drag Tray also looks like it would work better when using touch compared to the current option of using a context menu with your finger. Dragging things around on a touchscreen is a natural gesture and the targets within the Drag Tray are large, so they should be easy to place a file within.
While the only video we have of Drag Tray shows the feature being used with a mouse, I think the feature would be a perfect addition to Windows 11 tablets. Windows 11 lags behind iOS and Android when it comes to touch optimization, and a small addition like the Drag Tray could go a long way to make sharing files on the best Windows tablets easier. Maybe Microsoft will finish testing Drag Tray in time for the rumored Surface Pro and Surface Laptop that are on the way.
Microsoft is on a roll when it comes to testing exciting features. It was discovered earlier this month that the tech giant was working on an improved battery icon with the option to show battery percentage. Recently, Microsoft announced that feature officially and added details, including the fact that the battery icon will now change color to indicate how much charge your PC has left.
