Microsoft plans to speed Up Windows 11 File Explorer by keeping it always-on

Microsoft has acknowledged persistent performance problems with File Explorer in Windows 11 and announced plans to preload the application in the background to reduce launch delays. The company is testing the feature in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7271, available in Dev and Beta channels, with a full rollout expected in early 2026.

The performance fix addresses widespread complaints from users who experience delays of over a second when opening File Explorer, often seeing a blank window with “Working on it…” before the interface loads.