Microsoft File Explorer to be faster and use less RAM
Microsoft is testing a change in Windows 11 that should reduce File Explorer memory use during searches. The focus is on cutting waste when you search for images or other files.
The update is being tested in Windows 11 Build 26220.7523 and newer on Windows Insider PCs. Microsoft says File Explorer search now avoids duplicate file indexing operations. That means Windows should do less repeated work while you type and browse results.
Made some improvements to File Explorer search performance by eliminating duplicate file indexing operations, which should result in faster searches and reduced system resource usage during file operations.
— Microsoft
File Explorer search relies on the Windows Search Indexer rather than a separate engine. When duplicate indexing happens, Windows can end up scanning the same files or folders more than once. By skipping those repeats, Windows should see less disk activity, lower CPU use, fewer background tasks, and lower RAM use during file operations.
This is another File Explorer update following reports of high resource use. Microsoft has already addressed part of the problem by adding preloading .
Microsoft is also adjusting the File Explorer context menu to reduce clutter. Options like “Compress to,” “Copy as path,” “Rotate right,” “Rotate left,” and “Set as desktop background” are being moved into a secondary submenu, shown as “Manage file” on some systems and “Other actions” on others. The screenshot below is from Windows Latest, who already tested the new Insider build:
Source: Windows Latest
These changes are still in testing, with a wider rollout expected in late January or February.
Source: Windows Blog , Wccftech , Windows Latest
