August 14, 2026

Open a second folder in a File Explorer tab

Ctrl + T in File Explorer. Drag a file onto the other tab to move it.

• Windows
• Easy · 1 min
• Windows 11
• Fix: use tabs in File Explorer
• Cheat sheet

How to do it

1. 01

   Open File Explorer.

2. 02

   Press Ctrl + T for a new tab, or click the + on the tab bar.

3. 03

   Press Ctrl + Tab to switch tabs. Ctrl + W closes the current one.

4. 04

   Drag a file and hover another tab, then drop it once that folder opens.

This is Windows 11. Windows 10 File Explorer does not have these tabs.