14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 11 2022 Update finally brings back tabs in File Explorer, and without a doubt, this is great news for Windows users who’ve been asking for this feature since Microsoft dropped Sets many years ago.
But while the return of File Explorer tabs is something that substantially improves the usability of Windows 11, the first time Microsoft actually planned this feature was nearly three decades ago.
That’s right, the first Windows version supposed to come with tabs in File Explorer was none other than Windows 95. The feature even made its way to a beta, and screenshots posted on Twiter by @wowstartsnow (via Neowin) provides us with a closer look at how the whole thing was supposed to work.
File Explorer tabs in Windows 11 2022 Update
Tabs are back in Windows 11 2022 Update as part of the Moments 1 update.
“Enhancements to File Explorer, including bringing tabs to File Explorer to help you organize your File Explorer sessions like you do in Microsoft Edge. The new homepage in File Explorer gives you quick access to your favorite and recent files, so you can pin important files for quick and easy access – even including information at a glance of colleagues’ actions on your shared files through the power of OneDrive and personalized suggestions based on your Microsoft 365 account,” Microsoft said when announcing tabs.
The previous attempt to bring tabs to File Explorer took place in the Windows 10 days when Microsoft used Microsoft Edge to power a feature called Sets and supposed to expand tabs to the entire operating system.
The feature was eventually dropped when the software giant decided to give up on Microsoft Edge and switch to the Chromium engine for its browser (though at that point, this plan wasn’t shared publicly).