Changing This One Windows Setting Can Make File Explorer Run Much Better

There are no shortage of complaints about Windows 11 and its slow File Explorer, with owners reporting buggy behavior, non-responsive commands, and crashing out of the blue. That's partly why Windows 10, even though out of support, continues to enjoy over 30%  of the desktop Windows market share by version. But this one simple trick can make your Windows File Explorer faster, and there's little downside to it.

Microsoft, since the days of Windows XP, has included a feature that auto-scans folders, analyzes files, and assigns a view type. It's called "Automatic Folder Type Discovery." If the folder is populated with audio files, it will assign that template. Similarly, for images, it will switch to the Picture view type. While it helps better organize the folder, this protocol should be included on any list of Windows 11 features that are slowing down your computer. And this isn't a one-time thing. Windows may scan the folder every time you open it, and if there are a lot of files, you can expect a delay. To avoid this, you can disable Folder Type Discovery.

To turn off Folder Type Discovery on Windows, you need to edit the Registry Editor, so it's recommended that you back the Registry up. To do so, open the Search menu, type Registry Editor, and click Yes in the prompt message. Now, click File, select Export, pick a folder for the Registry's backup location, and click Save.

Once that's done, we can safely disable Folder Type Discovery in File Explorer. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Follow this path in the Registry Editor: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Classes > Local Settings > Software > Microsoft > Windows > Shell > Bags > AllFolders > Shell
2. Right-click anywhere in the blank space and select New, then String Value, and name it FolderType.
3. Double-click the string you just created, enter NotSpecified in the Value data field, and click OK to save the changes.
4. Finally, restart your PC or reboot File Explorer for the changes to take effect.

With this hidden Windows 11 feature, you should notice that the File Explorer loads files faster. The only downside is that folders will now have a generic view instead of one assigned based on file types. Apart from that, all folders may default to a Details-type view, though you can manually change that.