Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Windows 11 Tests Preloading File Explorer to Cut First-Open Lag

Initial Insider results point to quicker launches at a small memory trade-off.

Overview

  • Microsoft is trialing a boot-time preload of File Explorer in Insider Dev and Beta build 26220.7271 to address slow cold opens.
  • Windows Latest measured a drop in first-launch time from about 2.0 seconds to roughly 1.3 seconds, with RAM use rising from around 32 MB to about 67 MB.
  • The improvement is more pronounced under heavy system load, though elements such as the context menu remain sluggish.
  • Coverage is split, with some calling the gain worthwhile and others labeling it a workaround that could add up if more components are preloaded.
  • Microsoft has not committed to a general release, and the findings come from early Insider and virtual-machine testing that may not mirror wider use.