File Explorer feels outdated again after this Files update
Windows 11’s File Explorer continues to fall behind third-party alternatives, lacking features that seem fundamental by modern standards. The latest version of Files, a popular third-party file manager app, has added a customizable toolbar feature that immediately highlights this gap. In Files 4.0.39, users can now add, remove, and reorder toolbar actions to fit their specific workflow needs, effectively cutting down on interface clutter and streamlining common tasks.
While Microsoft has made efforts to improve File Explorer’s performance and reliability, the native Windows file manager still lacks basic customization options that competing applications have already implemented. The ability to personalize the toolbar—a relatively straightforward feature to develop—represents a noticeable absence in Windows 11’s offering. This gap between what Windows provides and what users can achieve with third-party solutions raises questions about development priorities for the built-in file manager. As third-party developers continue to innovate and add user-requested features, the disparity between Files and Windows File Explorer grows, making the official file manager feel increasingly outdated and less responsive to user needs.