If you need multiple windows of the same app (e.g. File Explorer, Notepad, or Word), you don’t have to navigate menus. Here’s how to quickly and easily open more windows:
How to do it :
– Hold Shift and Click on an open app’s icon in the taskbar.
– This will launch a new window of that app instantly.
– This is perfect for multitasking, such as working on multiple documents at once.
Need to work with multiple folders side by side? You can open additional instances of File Explorer by using a quick shortcut, rather than navigating from a single window. Here’s how to use it:
Open New File Explorer Windows:
– Press Win + E each time you need a new File Explorer window.
– This tip will help you manage files more efficiently by allowing you to open multiple directories and view them side by side.
You can quickly access your most-used folders and drives by pinning them to ‘Quick Access’ in File Explorer, allowing faster navigation without browsing through multiple directories.
How to Pin a Folder
– Open File Explorer (Win + E).
– Navigate to the folder you want to pin.
– Right-click the folder and select ‘Pin to Quick Access’.
– The folder will now appear at the top of the ‘Quick Access’ section for easy access next time you open File Explorer.
How to Unpin a Folder
– If a folder is no longer a priority, right-click the pinned folder in ‘Quick Access’ and select ‘Unpin from Quick Access’.
– This tip helps you save time when navigating to frequently used project folders or shared drives.
The Preview Pane in File Explorer lets you preview documents, images, and PDFs without opening them, saving time when reviewing multiple files in a folder. Here’s how it works:
Enable Preview Pane
– Open File Explorer by pressing Win + E.
– Click on the View tab and then click Preview Pane.
Preview Files
– Click on any file (document, image, PDF) in File Explorer, and it will be previewed in the right pane without opening the full application.
Quick Access in Windows File Explorer allows you to pin frequently used folders and files, making them easily accessible. Customising Quick Access can save you time when navigating to commonly used locations. Here’s how to do it :
– Open File Explorer.
– Navigate to the folder you want to pin.
– Right-click on the folder and select ‘Pin to Quick Access’.
– To remove an item from Quick Access, right-click on it and select ‘Unpin from Quick Access’.
Organising files in File Explorer can make it easier to manage and locate documents. The Windows “Group By” feature allows you to categorise files by various attributes, such as date, type, size, or name. Here’s how to use it:
– Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder you want to organise.
– Right-click in an empty space within the folder, hover over Group by, and select an attribute to group your files by (e.g. Date modified, Type, Size).
– The files in the folder will now be grouped according to the selected attribute, making it easier to sort and find specific files.
Accidentally closing a File Explorer window that you needed can be frustrating, especially if you were deep in a directory structure or working with multiple files. Windows allows you to quickly reopen a recently closed File Explorer window – here’s how:
– Right-click on the File Explorer icon in the taskbar.
– From the context menu that appears, select a recently closed folder or window under ‘Frequent folders’ or ‘Recent files’ to reopen it.
– This feature keeps track of your recent activity in File Explorer, making it easy to pick up where you left off.
Renaming multiple files one by one can be tedious and time-consuming. Windows File Explorer offers a simple way to batch rename files, which can be especially useful for organising documents, photos, or project files efficiently. Here’s how it works:
– Select the all the files you want to rename in File Explorer (mouse click and drag or Ctrl + A).
– Right-click just one of the selected files and choose Rename (or press F2).
– Type the new name for the files and press Enter.
– Windows will automatically append a number to each file to differentiate them
