Microsoft Is Experimenting with Tabs in File Explorer and Other Apps on Windows 10

Megalith

Megalith

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Wow, it only took 20 years. Tabbed browsing is finally coming to File Explorer as part of a bigger initiative called “Tabbed Shell,” which will bring tab functionality to any and all Windows apps. I guess the days of having multiple instances of the same program taking up your taskbar will soon be over.

…Tabbed Shell is a feature being worked on at an OS level, and doesn't require work from app developers to take advantage of it. By default, Tabbed Shell works with any app window, whether it be Photoshop, File Explorer, or Microsoft Word. Any UWP, Win32 or Centennial app will work. Much like in Edge, you'll find a tabbed interface at the top of a window where you can switch between instances of the same app. This means that right away, any app can take advantage of the new tabbing experience without any developer work. If an app features a titlebar, it will be able to function with Tabbed Shell.
 
Been one of those things they've needed for years. I know there are plenty of 3rd party FE alternatives that allow it, but that's one of those things MS should have done themselves.
 
Domingo said:
Been one of those things they've needed for years. I know there are plenty of 3rd party FE alternatives that allow it, but that's one of those things MS should have done themselves.
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Yep, since Tabs were introduced and became mainstream in browsers. I can't believe it's taken this long. They've needed it in Office apps as well.
 
To be honest, I kinda like multiple Windows Explorers.... I say that because a lot of time I'm dealing with 2 instances of files and am copying/pasting/cutting to different locations repeatedly. It's easier to Alt+Tab between the windows or put them side by side than it is to put them in tabs.
 
Megalith said:
Wow, it only took 20 years. Tabbed browsing is finally coming to File Explorer as part of a bigger initiative called “Tabbed Shell,” which will bring tab functionality to any and all Windows apps. I guess the days of having multiple instances of the same program taking up your taskbar will soon be over.

…Tabbed Shell is a feature being worked on at an OS level, and doesn't require work from app developers to take advantage of it. By default, Tabbed Shell works with any app window, whether it be Photoshop, File Explorer, or Microsoft Word. Any UWP, Win32 or Centennial app will work. Much like in Edge, you'll find a tabbed interface at the top of a window where you can switch between instances of the same app. This means that right away, any app can take advantage of the new tabbing experience without any developer work. If an app features a titlebar, it will be able to function with Tabbed Shell.
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20 years? What browser had tabs in 1997? Certainly not Netscape or Internet Explorer.
 
Spidey329 said:
Yep, since Tabs were introduced and became mainstream in browsers. I can't believe it's taken this long. They've needed it in Office apps as well.
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depends on how you use the software. I am going to hate the feature given how I use it.

Cyraxx said:
To be honest, I kinda like multiple Windows Explorers.... I say that because a lot of time I'm dealing with 2 instances of files and am copying/pasting/cutting to different locations repeatedly. It's easier to Alt+Tab between the windows or put them side by side than it is to put them in tabs.
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I am in the same boat. If I am doing things that actually require multiple windows open then I want then side by side for what ever I am doing. Same as office. About 60% of the time I am in excel I am doing something that requires two copies of excel vs the current multiple windows in one instance for either copy and paste or to reference values in one sheet for another. Same for word. Once a week I work on two files that I need to have both open and update stuff in both docs in reference to each other.

so this is definitely going to be a mix good for some and worthless for others.
 
What windows really needs is middle click to copy/paste.

Might be the most useful thing Linux has (and I say that cause it's awesome).
 
As long as it doesn't force us to use it. I actually like using different windows for things, so I can put them side by side. My guess is Microsoft will make you unable to open two folders at once and you'll only be able to use tabs. Likely because that is preferable with a mobile style OS.

But the option to use tabs would be nice. Would like to just right click Drive C > Program Files > Folder X, open as new window or open as new tab.

Exavior said:
I am in the same boat. If I am doing things that actually require multiple windows open then I want then side by side for what ever I am doing. Same as office. About 60% of the time I am in excel I am doing something that requires two copies of excel vs the current multiple windows in one instance for either copy and paste or to reference values in one sheet for another. Same for word. Once a week I work on two files that I need to have both open and update stuff in both docs in reference to each other.

so this is definitely going to be a mix good for some and worthless for others.
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The problem is, knowing Microsoft, having two Windows open side by side will likely become a thing of the past. Really, it is very often superior to having to switch between tabs. Especially if you're searching through two nearly identical folders, trying to find that missing file.
 
westrock2000 said:
What windows really needs is middle click to copy/paste.
Might be the most useful thing Linux has (and I say that cause it's awesome).
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Not sure what mouse you use, but I have a logitech mouse and I can do that. Not sure if it does that with Logitechs app by itself, but with uber options there's almost nothing you can't do.
 
nilepez said:
Not sure what mouse you use, but I have a logitech mouse and I can do that. Not sure if it does that with Logitechs app by itself, but with uber options there's almost nothing you can't do.
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Ya, you can do lots with 3rd party stuff, but I try to stay away ftim core changes to OS's. I don't like getting used to using something as if it's built in and then not having it when I use another similar computer.

Also what's nice in Linux, if yours doesn't do this, is that middle click copy/paste is seperate from copy/paste....so you can have two separate pastes if you are strategic.
 
Cyraxx said:
To be honest, I kinda like multiple Windows Explorers.... I say that because a lot of time I'm dealing with 2 instances of files and am copying/pasting/cutting to different locations repeatedly. It's easier to Alt+Tab between the windows or put them side by side than it is to put them in tabs.
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Whats the difference between doing alt-tab and ctrl-tab?
 
westrock2000 said:
Ya, you can do lots with 3rd party stuff, but I try to stay away ftim core changes to OS's. I don't like getting used to using something as if it's built in and then not having it when I use another similar computer.

Also what's nice in Linux, if yours doesn't do this, is that middle click copy/paste is seperate from copy/paste....so you can have two separate pastes if you are strategic.
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Sure, but I'm pretty sure that it's configurable in Linux too. Besides, this isn't modifying the OS, it's just an XML mod to the Logitech driver (and it wouldn't surprise me if setpoint can do that by default. I can't say if Windows can do it or not, because I never use Windows to control my mouse actions (not even when using a MS Mouse).
 
SvenBent said:
Whats the difference between doing alt-tab and ctrl-tab?
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In the case that he's describing, you can drag and drop between the windows. That said, I'd hope that even with a tabbed explorer you could have multiple explorer windows, just like you can have multiple Edge, IE or FF windows.
 
SvenBent said:
Whats the difference between doing alt-tab and ctrl-tab?
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Ctrl + Tab goes to the next tab. Therefore, if you have 10 tabs open it will have to cycle through all 10 tabs until it brings you back to the previous.

Wheras, alt-tab will always originate with whatever the previous window was. Therefore you can cycle through 2 windows one after another.
 
nilepez said:
In the case that he's describing, you can drag and drop between the windows. That said, I'd hope that even with a tabbed explorer you could have multiple explorer windows, just like you can have multiple Edge, IE or FF windows.
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Gotcha. never dragged and dropped files, didnt think about it at all

Cyraxx said:
Ctrl + Tab goes to the next tab. Therefore, if you have 10 tabs open it will have to cycle through all 10 tabs until it brings you back to the previous.

Wheras, alt-tab will always originate with whatever the previous window was. Therefore you can cycle through 2 windows one after another.
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Very valid points. i had to double check this i use ctrl-tab and shit-ctrl-tab a lot when mi working with images and i never given this difference a thought
 
Cyraxx said:
To be honest, I kinda like multiple Windows Explorers.... I say that because a lot of time I'm dealing with 2 instances of files and am copying/pasting/cutting to different locations repeatedly. It's easier to Alt+Tab between the windows or put them side by side than it is to put them in tabs.
Click to expand...

I'm not a huge fan of tabs such as this although there are uses for it. However, what I would want is the ability to have a split window allowing for two directories to be open side by side in the same window like at least some of the file managers in Linux has. I love this ability. I do agree that having multiple windows open to drag and drop or compare or whatever is very handy. That's why I've always had each directory open in its own window. I almost always hate having a single window and everything opening in that. I often need more than one window open for different directories in the directory structure.

nilepez said:
20 years? What browser had tabs in 1997? Certainly not Netscape or Internet Explorer.
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I don't particularly feel like looking it up but I'm pretty sure Opera came out around this time and it was the first browser to have tabs. That browser was way ahead of its time compared to any of the others out at the time.
 
Finally a feature thats useful! I guess M$ had enough of making things worse for the Start menu and control panel, its about damn time they start adding truly good things to their OS. I have wanted this Tab feature to the File Explorer for very long time. It would have saved me a lot of time in the past.
 
Megalith said:
I guess the days of having multiple instances of the same program taking up your taskbar will soon be over.
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So we're going back to teh days of MDI verses whateverthefkMSbuzzwordcallstheirnewmultiwindowthing. You know, prior to the big push from MS to take away user options instead of giving users more, we used to have MDI (multi document interface) where you could (wait for it...) open more then one document in the same application window!

Then The Ribbon(TM) come along and some hobknob decided it was a good idea to force each document to be in a different window ONLY. Some dev's allowed you to change from between either method which was the ideal scenario. But most didn't. Just towed the party line. So friggen frustrating when it makes an efficient workflow take 5 steps backwards.

And look see here... now we're going back to that era only now its "MS's idea" and now they call it "tabs" so thats ok! Its "new" and by now most kids have NFi that we had this ability decades ago as they weren't born then and its to difficult for most of them to actually learn about history so they'd never know!

But hey...as long as its the MS Marketing Departments next bulletpoint buzzword bingo, who cares about real people doing real work having to press yet another button 50 thousand times more a day then they used to!!

/end rant

lol
 
Cyraxx said:
To be honest, I kinda like multiple Windows Explorers.... I say that because a lot of time I'm dealing with 2 instances of files and am copying/pasting/cutting to different locations repeatedly. It's easier to Alt+Tab between the windows or put them side by side than it is to put them in tabs.
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Try Explorer++

https://explorerplusplus.com/

You can have 2 panes side by side.

Should just add, Explorer++ has tabs too.
 
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ManofGod said:
Others, yes. For you? Nope.
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Yea, not me. I've considered it but it is too much work and everything works fine in Win8.1 now so have no reason to install Win10. Next time I upgrade my cpu and mb I will though or else I won't get updates. grrrrr!
 
westrock2000 said:
What windows really needs is middle click to copy/paste.

Might be the most useful thing Linux has (and I say that cause it's awesome).
Click to expand...

Oh my God!

I never knew this, I'm even more impressed with my Linux install.
 
Cyraxx said:
To be honest, I kinda like multiple Windows Explorers.... I say that because a lot of time I'm dealing with 2 instances of files and am copying/pasting/cutting to different locations repeatedly. It's easier to Alt+Tab between the windows or put them side by side than it is to put them in tabs.
Click to expand...

Well, nothing prevents you from doing both, the change will let you use tabs along with windows.
 
Cyraxx said:
Ctrl + Tab goes to the next tab. Therefore, if you have 10 tabs open it will have to cycle through all 10 tabs until it brings you back to the previous.

Wheras, alt-tab will always originate with whatever the previous window was. Therefore you can cycle through 2 windows one after another.
Click to expand...

There is always Alt+Shift+Tab and CTRL+Shift+Tab that will cycle to the previous active app/tab. So do one then the other (Alt+Tab and then Alt+Shift+Tab) and you get the same effect. Of course this is not for drag'n'drop but there are separate windows for that.
 
Spidey329 said:
Yep, since Tabs were introduced and became mainstream in browsers. I can't believe it's taken this long. They've needed it in Office apps as well.
Click to expand...

I remember when they use to have issues where Excel spreadsheets would all open within the same Excel window. When you're copying/pasting between the two or wanting to view the two together, it became extremely annoying.

I literally made a 2nd local computer account to get around it. I'd open one up as whoever I was logged in as, then I'd launch the other file using my 2nd account, just so they'd stay separate.

I seriously hope that you can have tabs or not have tabs. Nothing would be more annoying than being forced to have tabs, when you don't want them. I have more than enough screen real estate, that I don't need to have tabs. Nor do I want tabs.
 
krotch said:
I remember when they use to have issues where Excel spreadsheets would all open within the same Excel window. When you're copying/pasting between the two or wanting to view the two together, it became extremely annoying.

I literally made a 2nd local computer account to get around it. I'd open one up as whoever I was logged in as, then I'd launch the other file using my 2nd account, just so they'd stay separate.

I seriously hope that you can have tabs or not have tabs. Nothing would be more annoying than being forced to have tabs, when you don't want them. I have more than enough screen real estate, that I don't need to have tabs. Nor do I want tabs.
Click to expand...
I've got Office 2010. Did 2013 stop opening spreadsheets in the same window?
 
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