14 DAY TRIAL // The release of Windows 10 Redstone 5 build 17618 for users enrolled in the Skip Ahead ring of the Windows Insider program brought back Sets, a feature that Microsoft first tested during the development of Redstone 4 and which was then temporarily removed for further improvements.
This new build, however, comes with a series of changes as compared to the previous implementation of Sets, and the biggest addition is the integration of support for Win32 software.
Sets was originally developed to work with UWP apps from the Microsoft Store, but this build introduces full support for Win32 programs as well, which means that File Explorer, the built-in file manager, finally gets tabs.
Tabs in File Explorer has been one of the most, if not the most, requested features in Windows, and while Microsoft appeared to be ignoring the feedback, it looks like the software giant was actually working on such functionality, only that it planned more advanced options.
“With Sets, 1st party experiences like Mail, Calendar, OneNote, MSN News, Windows and Microsoft Edge become more integrated to create a seamless experience, so you can get back to what’s important and be productive, recapturing that moment, saving time – we believe that’s the true value of Sets. Additional app integration with Sets is expected over time,” Microsoft explains.
Current limitations
There are several limitations of the Sets implementation, however, and many users might still not be pleased with how tabs work in File Explorer.
For example, while you can open several tabs in File Explorer, you can’t right-click a specific folder to create a new tab. Instead, you can only open new windows, and without drag and drop support for tabs from one window to another, this doesn’t make any difference.
Also, if you already launched File Explorer and clicked the + button to create a new tab, it does not launch a new instance of the file manager, but instead gets you to the home screen of Microsoft Edge browser. You can then launch File Explorer by typing its name in the search box, but again, this takes more time than it should and it’s not entirely a straightforward experience.
Leaving all the bugs aside, it’s good to have tabs in File Explorer, and hopefully Microsoft will improve its functionality before launching in Redstone 5 for all users. It remains to be seen, however, how useful it can become as part of the File Explorer file arsenal.
