File Explorer (Windows)

File Explorer, ahead accepted as Windows Explorer, is a book administrator appliance and aswell a aeronautics apparatus that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating arrangement from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the book systems. It is aswell the basic of the operating arrangement that presents abounding user interface items on the adviser such as the taskbar and desktop. Controlling the computer is accessible after Windows Charlatan active (for example, the Book | Run command in Task Administrator on NT-derived versions of Windows will action after it, as will commands typed in a command alert window). Located in the C:\Windows directory, it is sometimes referred to as the Windows shell, explorer.exe, or artlessly “Explorer”.

Overview

What was Windows Charlatan was aboriginal included with Windows 95 as a backup for Book Manager, which came with all versions of Windows 3.x operating systems. Charlatan could be accessed by double-clicking the new My Computer desktop icon, or launched from the new Start Menu that replaced the beforehand Program Manager. There is aswell a adjustment key combination: Windows key + E. Successive versions of Windows (and in some cases, Internet Explorer) alien new appearance and capabilities, removed added features, and about progressed from getting a simple book arrangement aeronautics apparatus into a task-based book administration system.

While “Windows Explorer” or "File Explorer" is a appellation a lot of frequently acclimated to call the book administration aspect of the operating system, the Charlatan action aswell houses the operating system’s seek functionality and Book Type associations (based on filename extensions), and is amenable for announcement the desktop icons, the Start Menu, the Taskbar, and the Control Panel. Collectively, these appearance are accepted as the Windows shell.

After a user logs in, the charlatan action is created by userinit process. Userinit performs some initialization of the user ambiance (such as active the login Software and applying accumulation policies) and again looks in the anthology at the Carapace amount and creates a action to run the system-defined shell—by default, Explorer.exe. Again Userinit exits. This is why Explorer.exe is apparent by assorted action campaign with no parent—its ancestor has exited.

History

In 1995, Microsoft aboriginal arise analysis versions of a carapace refresh, alleged the Carapace Technology Preview, and about referred to artlessly as "NewShell".1 The amend was advised to alter the Windows 3.x Affairs Manager/File Administrator based carapace with Windows Explorer. The absolution provided capabilities absolutely agnate to that of the Windows "Chicago" (codename for Windows 95) carapace during its backward beta phases, about was advised to be annihilation added than a analysis release.2 There were two accessible releases of the Carapace Technology Preview, fabricated accessible to MSDN and CompuServe users: 26 May 1995 and 8 August 1995. Both captivated Windows Explorer builds of 3.51.1053.1. The Carapace Technology Examination affairs never saw a final absolution beneath NT 3.51. The absolute affairs was confused beyond to the Cairo development accumulation who assuredly chip the new carapace architecture into the NT cipher with the absolution of NT 4.0 in July 1996.

editWindows 98 and Windows Desktop Update

With the absolution of the Windows Desktop Amend (packaged with Internet Explorer 4.0 as an accession component, and included in Windows 98), Windows Explorer became "integrated" with Internet Explorer, a lot of conspicuously with the accession of aeronautics arrows (back and forward) for affective amid afresh visited directories, as able-bodied as Internet Explorer’s Favorites menu. At the time these changes aloft antitrust apropos about the assimilation of what was apparent as an appliance feature, but this affection has back been emulated by a lot of added book browsers.

An abode bar was aswell added to Windows Explorer, which a user could blazon in agenda paths directly, and be taken to that folder. It aswell operated as a URL bar for Internet addresses; web pages would accessible in the capital allocation of the window.

Another affection that was based on Internet Explorer technology was customized folders. Such folders independent a hidden web page that controlled the way the Windows Explorer displayed the capacity of the folder. This affection accepted to accept aegis vulnerabilities due to its assurance on ActiveX altar and scripting, and was removed with the accession of Windows XP.

Other new features:

The adeptness to add added toolbars to the assignment bar, the a lot of arresting of these getting Quick Launch.

“HTML Desktop”, which fabricated it accessible to about-face the desktop accomplishments itself into a web page.

Single-click activation of icons in Windows Explorer, adhering to a web page paradigm.

Desktop Channels.

New basic folders for Scheduled Tasks and Web Folders

editWindows Me and Windows 2000

The chip media amateur in Windows Explorer arena a MIDI sequence.

The "Web-style" folders view, with the larboard Explorer area announcement abstracts for the article currently selected, is angry on by default. For assertive book types, such as pictures and media files, a examination is aswell displayed in the larboard pane.3 The Windows 2000 Explorer featured an alternating media amateur as the previewer for complete and video files. However, such a previewer can be enabled in Windows Me through the use of binder customization templates. 4 Windows Explorer in Windows 2000 and Windows Me allows for custom thumbnail previewers and tooltip handlers. The absence book tooltip displays book title, author, accountable and comments;5 this metadata may be apprehend from a appropriate NTFS stream, if the book is on an NTFS volume, or from an COM Structured Accumulator stream, if the book is a structured accumulator document. All Microsoft Office abstracts back Office 956 accomplish use of structured storage, so their metadata is displayable in the Windows 2000 Explorer absence tooltip. Book shortcuts can aswell abundance comments which are displayed as a tooltip if the abrasion hovers over the shortcut.

The right-hand pane, which usually just lists files and folders, can aswell be customized. For example, the capacity of the arrangement folders aren't displayed by default, instead assuming in the appropriate area a admonishing to the user that modifying the capacity of the arrangement folders could abuse their computer. It's accessible to ascertain added Explorer panes by appliance DIV elements in binder arrangement files.7 This affection was abused by computer bacilli that active awful scripts, Java applets, or ActiveX controls in binder arrangement files as their infection vector. Two such bacilli are VBS/Roor-C8 and VBS.Redlof.a.9

Other Explorer UI elements that can be customized cover columns in "Details" view, figure overlays, and seek providers: the new DHTML-based seek area is chip into Windows 2000 Explorer, clashing the abstracted seek chat begin in all antecedent Explorer versions.10

Search capabilities were added, alms full-text searches of documents, with options to clarify by date (including approximate ranges like “modified aural the endure week”), size, and book type. The Indexing Account has aswell been chip into the operating arrangement and the seek area congenital into Explorer allows analytic files indexed by its database.11 The adeptness to adapt the accepted buttons was aswell added.

editWindows XP and Windows Server 2003

Windows Explorer in Windows XP

There were cogent changes fabricated to Windows Explorer in Windows XP, both visually and functionally. Microsoft focused abnormally on authoritative Explorer added accountable and task-based, as able-bodied as abacus a amount of appearance to reflect the growing use of a computer as a “digital hub”.

Windows Explorer in Windows Server 2003 contains all the aforementioned appearance as Windows XP, but the assignment panes and seek accompaniment are disabled by default.

editTask Pane

The assignment area is displayed on the left-hand ancillary of the window instead of the acceptable binder timberline view. It presents the user with a annual of accepted accomplishments and destinations that are accordant to the accepted agenda or file(s) selected. For instance, if in a agenda absolute mostly pictures, a set of “Picture tasks” is shown, alms the options to affectation these pictures as a accelerate show, to book them out, or to go online to adjustment prints. Conversely, a binder absolute music files would action options to play those files in a media player, or to go online to acquirement music. Windows XP had a Media bar but it was removed with SP1. The Media Bar was alone accessible with Windows XP RTM.

Every binder aswell has “File and Binder Tasks”, alms options to actualize new folders, allotment a binder on the bounded network, broadcast files or folders to a web site, and added accepted tasks like copying, renaming, moving, and deleting files or folders. Book types that accept articular themselves as getting printable aswell accept an advantage listed to book the file.

Underneath “File and Binder Tasks” is “Other Places”, with links to added accepted locations such as “My Computer”, “Control Panel”, and “My Documents”. These aswell change depending on what binder the user was in, arch to some criticism of Microsoft for not getting constant in announcement aeronautics choices.

Underneath “Other Places” is a “Details” area which gives added advice – about book admeasurement and date, but depending on the book type, a thumbnail preview, author, angel dimensions, or added details.

The “Folders” button on the Windows Explorer toolbar toggles amid the acceptable timberline appearance of folders, and the assignment pane. Users can get rid of the assignment area or restore it appliance the sequence: Tools – Binder Options – General – Appearance Accepted Tasks/Use Windows Classic Folders.

editSearch companion

Windows Explorer’s absence Seek Companion, Rover.

Microsoft alien activated “Search Companions” in an attack to accomplish analytic added agreeable and friendly; the absence appearance is a puppy alleged Rover (previously acclimated in Microsoft Bob), with three added characters (Merlin the magician, Earl the surfer, and Courtney) aswell available. These seek assembly buck a abundant accord of affinity to Microsoft Office’s Office Assistants, even accumulation “tricks” and complete effects.

The seek adequacy itself is adequately agnate to Windows Me and Windows 2000, with one above addition: Seek can aswell be instructed to seek alone files that are actually “Documents” or “Pictures, music and video"; this affection is noteworthy abundantly because of how Windows determines what types of files can be classified beneath these categories. In adjustment to advance a accordant annual of book types, Windows Explorer connects to Microsoft and downloads a set of XML files that ascertain what these book types are. While controllable in itself, this affection bent the absorption of a amount of aloofness advocates, and users with firewall software installed, who acquainted it was accidental for Windows to affix to Microsoft’s servers whenever a bounded seek was performed.

editImage handling

Folder thumbnail preview

Windows XP improves angel examination in Explorer by alms a Filmstrip view. “Back” and “Previous” buttons facilitate aeronautics through the pictures, and a brace of “Rotate” buttons action 90-degree clockwise and counter-clockwise (lossy)citation bare circling of images. Aside from the Filmstrip appearance mode, there is a 'Thumbnails' mode, which displays thumbnail-sized images in the folder. A Binder absolute images will aswell appearance thumbnails of four of the images from that binder overlaid on top of a ample binder icon.

editWeb publishing

Web sites that action angel hosting casework can be acquainted into Windows Explorer, which the user can use to baddest images on their computer, and accept them uploaded accurately afterwards ambidextrous with analogously circuitous solutions involving FTP or web interfaces.citation needed

editOther changes

This area does not adduce any references or sources. Please advice advance this area by abacus citations to reliable sources. Unsourced actual may be challenged and removed. (December 2012)

Explorer acquired the adeptness to accept the metadata of a amount of types of files. For example, with images from a agenda camera, the Exif advice can be viewed, both in the Backdrop pages for the photo itself, as able-bodied as via accession added Abstracts Appearance columns.

A Tile appearance approach was added, which displays the file’s figure in a beyond admeasurement (48 × 48), and places the book name, anecdotic type, and added advice (typically the book admeasurement for abstracts files, and the administrator name for applications) to the right.

The Abstracts appearance aswell presented an added advantage alleged "Show in Groups" which allows the Explorer to abstracted its capacity by headings based on the acreage which is acclimated to array the items.

The taskbar can be bound to anticipate it from accidentally getting moved.

Windows Explorer aswell acquired the adeptness to bake CDs and DVD-RAM discs in Windows XP.

editRemoved features

This area requires expansion. (December 2012)

Main article: Annual of appearance removed in Windows XP#Shell features

The array adjustment has afflicted compared to the one in Windows 2000. For book names absolute numbers Windows Explorer now tries to array based on afterwards amount rather than just comparing anniversary amount chiffre by chiffre for every appearance position in the book name.12

editWindows Vista and Windows Server 2008

Windows Explorer in Windows Vista

editSearch, acclimation & metadata

Windows Explorer includes cogent changes from antecedent versions of Windows such as bigger filtering, sorting, alignment and stacking. Combined with chip desktop search, Windows Explorer allows users to acquisition and adapt their files in new ways, such as Stacks. The “Stacks” appearance groups files according to the archetype defined by the user. Endless can be clicked to clarify the files apparent in Windows Explorer. There is aswell the adeptness to save searches as basic folders or Seek Folders. A Seek Binder is artlessly an XML file, which food the concern in a anatomy that can be acclimated by the Windows seek subsystem. If accessed, the seek is executed, and the after-effects are aggregated and presented as a basic folder. If allocation items, the array adjustment no best charcoal consistently Ascending or Descending. Anniversary acreage has a adopted array direction. For example, Array by Date defaults to Descending order, as does Size. But Name and Blazon absence to Ascending order.

Searching for files absolute a accustomed argument cord became ambiguous with Vista unless the files accept been indexed. An accession is to use the findstr command-line function.13 Afterwards right-clicking on a binder one can accessible a command-line alert in that folder.

Windows Explorer aswell contains modifications in the decision of files on a computer. A new accession to Windows Explorer in Vista and Server 2008 is the Abstracts pane, which displays metadata and advice apropos to the currently alleged book or folder. The Abstracts area will aswell affectation a thumbnail of the book or an figure of the filetype if the book does not accommodate beheld information. Furthermore, altered adumbration is overlayed on thumbnails to accord added advice about the file, such as a annual anatomy about the thumbnail of an angel file, or a filmstrip on a video file. Thumbnails can be zoomed on.

The abstracts area in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 assuming metadata of an image.

The Abstracts area aswell allows for the change of some textual metadata such as 'Author' and 'Title' in files that abutment them aural Windows Explorer. A new blazon of metadata alleged tags allows users to add anecdotic agreement to abstracts for easier analysis and retrieval. Some files abutment accessible metadata, acceptance users to ascertain new types of metadata for their files. Out-of-the-box, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 supports Microsoft Office abstracts and a lot of audio and video files. Abutment for added book types can about be added by autograph specialized software to retrieve the metadata at the shell’s request. Metadata stored in a file’s alternating (secondary) beck alone on NTFS volumes cannot be beheld and edited through the 'Summary' tab of the file’s backdrop anymore. Instead, all metadata is stored central the file, so that it will consistently biking with the book and not be abased on the book system.14

editLayout and icons

Windows Explorer in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 aswell introduces a new layout. The Assignment Panes from Windows XP are replaced with a toolbar on top and a Aeronautics area on the left. The Aeronautics area contains frequently accessed folders and pre-populated Seek folders. Seven altered angle are accessible to appearance files and folders, namely, List, Details, Baby icons, Medium icons, Ample icons, Extra ample icons or Tiles. Automated binder blazon analysis automatically detects the capacity of a binder and affectation the actual detail settings. Book and binder accomplishments such as Cut, Copy, Paste, Undo, Redo, Delete, Rename and Backdrop are congenital into a dropdown card which appears if the Adapt button is clicked. It is aswell accessible to change the blueprint of the Explorer window by appliance the Adapt button. Users can baddest whether to affectation Classic Menus, a Seek Pane, a Examination Pane, a Reading Pane, and/or the Aeronautics Pane. The Examination pane, allows for previewing files (viewing abstracts and arena media files) in accession to the Abstracts pane. Also, Explorer can appearance a examination for any angel architecture if the all-important codec for the architecture is installed in the Windows Imaging Component.

The abode bar has been replaced by a breadcrumbs bar for easier navigation. It shows the abounding aisle to the accepted location. Clicking any area in the aisle bureaucracy takes the user to that level, instead of again acute the Aback button. This is agnate to what is accessible in Windows XP by acute the baby down-arrow next to “Back” and selecting any binder from a annual of ahead accessed folders. It is aswell accessible to cross to any subfolder of the accepted binder appliance the arrow to the appropriate of the endure item, or to bang in the amplitude to the appropriate of this to archetype or adapt the aisle manually. As with abounding added Microsoft-made Windows Vista applications, the card bar is hidden by default. Acute the Alt key makes the card bar appear.

Check boxes in Windows Explorer acquiesce the alternative of assorted files. Chargeless and acclimated amplitude on all drives is apparent in accumbent indicator bars. Icons of assorted sizes are accurate – 16 x 16, 24 x 24, 32 x 32, 48 x 48, 64 x 64, 96 x 96, 128 x 128 and 256 x 256. Windows Explorer can zoom the icons in and out appliance a slider or by captivation down the Ctrl key and appliance the abrasion scrollwheel.

editOther changes

With the absolution of Windows Vista & Server 2008 and Windows Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP, Internet Explorer is no best chip with Windows Explorer. In Windows Vista and Server 2008 (and in Windows XP as able-bodied if IE7 or 8 is installed), Windows Explorer no best displays web pages, and IE7 does not abutment use as a book manager, although one will alone barrage the added as necessary.

When affective or artful files from one binder to another, if two files accept the aforementioned name, an advantage is now accessible to rename the file; in antecedent versions of Windows, the user was prompted to accept either a backup or abolish affective the file. Also, if renaming a file, Explorer alone highlights the filename afterwards selecting the extension. Renaming assorted files is quicker as acute Tab automatically renames the absolute book or binder and opens the book name argument acreage for the next book for renaming. Shift+Tab acquiesce renaming in the aforementioned abode upwards.

Support for afire abstracts on DVDs (DVDВ±R, DVDВ±R DL, DVDВ±R RW) in accession to CDs and DVD-RAM appliance adaptation 2.0 of the Angel Mastering API was added.

In case a book is in use by accession application, Windows Explorer informs users to abutting the appliance and retry the book operation. Also, a new interface 'IFileIsInUse' is alien into the API which developers can use to let added applications about-face to the capital window of the appliance that has the book accessible or artlessly abutting the book from the “File In Use” dialog.15 If the active appliance exposes these operations by agency of the IFileInUse interface, Windows Explorer, aloft encountering a bound file, allows the user to abutting the book or about-face to the appliance from the chat box itself.

editRemoved and afflicted features

Main article: Annual of appearance removed in Windows Vista

The adeptness to adapt the blueprint and buttons on the toolbars has been removed in Windows Vista’s Explorer, as has the adeptness to add a countersign to a zip book (compressed folder). The Toolbar button in Explorer to go up one binder from the accepted binder has been removed (the action still exists however, one can move up a binder by acute Alt + ↑). Although still absolutely accessible from the airheaded and keyboard shortcuts, toolbar buttons for Cut, Copy, Paste, Undo, Delete, Backdrop and some others are no best available. The Card Bar is aswell hidden by default, but is still accessible by acute the Alt key, or alteration its afterimage in the blueprint options. Several added appearance are removed such as assuming the admeasurement on the cachet bar afterwards selecting items, autumn metadata in NTFS accessory streams,16 the IColumnProvider interface which accustomed accession of custom columns to Explorer17 and binder accomplishments customization appliance desktop.ini.

The advantage "Managing pairs of Web pages and folders" is aswell removed, and the user has no way of cogent Vista that a .html book and the binder with the aforementioned name that was created if extenuative a complete web page from IE should be advised separately, that is, they cannot annul the binder afterwards deleting the html book as well. A band-aid to this is provided on (http://windowsxp.mvps.org/webpairs.htm). Afterwards the webpairs.reg book has been alloyed into the registry, the "Managing pairs of Web pages and folders" advantage is accessible in the Binder Options Appearance tab.

The adeptness to right-click a binder and hit "Search" has been removed, as accept the fields to ample in to adapt a search. Now users accept to highlight the binder they ambition to seek and access their keywords in the seek acreage in the top appropriate corner, however, they may not access any added seek ambit until afterwards the arrangement has accomplished analytic the absolute binder based on that one (or few) keywords. Alone again will the "Advanced Search" button appear, acceptance them to access added seek parameters. This bearings can be bypassed. While in Windows Explorer, the F3 key is hit. This should accompany up the "Advanced Search" box.

editWindows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Explorer in Windows 7

editLibraries

Windows Explorer in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 supports Libraries, basic folders declared in a .library-ms book that aggregates agreeable from assorted locations - including aggregate folders on networked systems if the aggregate binder has been indexed by the host arrangement - and present them in a unified view. Analytic in a library automatically federates the concern to the limited systems, in accession to analytic on the bounded system, so that files on the limited systems are aswell searched. Clashing seek folders, Libraries are backed by a concrete area which allows files to be adored in the Libraries. Such files are clearly adored in the abetment concrete folder. The absence save area for a library may be configured by the user, as can the absence appearance blueprint for anniversary library. Libraries are about stored in the Libraries appropriate folder, which allows them to be displayed on the aeronautics pane.

By default, a new user annual in Windows 7 contains four libraries, for altered book types: Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos. They are configured to cover the user's contour folders for these agnate book types, as able-bodied as the computer's agnate Accessible folders.

In accession to accumulation assorted accumulator locations, Libraries accredit Arrangement Angle and Seek Clarify Suggestions. Arrangement Angle acquiesce users to axis their angle of the library's capacity based on metadata. For example, selecting the "By Month" appearance in the Pictures library will affectation photos in stacks, area anniversary assemblage represents a ages of photos based on the date they were taken. In the Music library, the "By Artist" appearance will affectation endless of albums from the artists in their collections, and browsing into an artisan assemblage will again affectation the accordant albums.

Search Clarify Suggestions are a new affection of the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Explorer's seek box. If the user clicks in the seek box, a card shows up beneath it assuming contempo searches as able-bodied as appropriate Advanced Concern Syntax filters that the user can type. If one is alleged (or typed in manually), the card will amend to appearance the accessible ethics to clarify by for that property, and this annual is based on the accepted area and added locations of the concern already typed. For example, selecting the "tags" clarify or accounting "tags:" into the seek box will affectation the annual of accessible tag ethics which will acknowledgment seek results.

Arrangement Angle and Seek Clarify Suggestions are database-backed appearance which crave that all locations in the Library be indexed by the Windows Seek service. Bounded deejay locations accept to be indexed by the bounded indexer, and Windows Explorer will automatically add locations to the indexing ambit if they are included in a library. Limited locations can be indexed by the indexer on accession Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 machine, on a Windows apparatus active Windows Seek 4 (such as Windows Vista or Windows Home Server), or on accession accessory that accouterments the MS-WSP limited concern protocol.18

editFederated search

Windows Explorer aswell supports federating seek to alien abstracts sources, such as custom databases or web services, that are apparent over the web and declared via an OpenSearch definition. The amalgamated area description (called a Seek Connector) is provided as a .osdx file. Once installed, the abstracts antecedent becomes queryable anon from Windows Explorer. Windows Explorer features, such as previews and thumbnails, plan with the after-effects of a amalgamated seek as well.

editOther changes

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 supports assuming icons in the ambience card and creating cascaded ambience airheaded with changeless verbs in submenus appliance the Anthology instead of a carapace extension.19

The seek box in the Explorer window and the abode bar can be resized.

Certain folders in the aeronautics area can be hidden to abate clutter.

Progress confined and bury icons on an application's button on the taskbar.

Content appearance which shows thumbnails and metadata.

Buttons to toggle the examination area and actualize a new folder.

editRemoved and afflicted features

Main article: Annual of appearance removed in Windows 7#Windows Explorer

In Windows 7 several appearance accept been removed from Windows Explorer such as the collapsible binder pane, bury figure for aggregate items, canonizing alone binder window sizes and positions, chargeless deejay amplitude on the cachet bar, icons on the command bar, adeptness to attenuate Auto Arrange and Align to Grid, array bar for added angle except abstracts view, adeptness to attenuate abounding row alternative in abstracts view, automated accumbent scrolling and scrollbar in the aeronautics area and advancement alternative if allocation from the Adapt menu.

editWindows 8 and Windows Server 2012

The new Book Explorer interface in Windows 8

The book administrator on Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 is renamed Book Explorer, and introduces new appearance such as a redesigned interface accumulation a award toolbar, and a redesigned book operation chat that displays added abundant advance and allows for book operations to be paused and resumed.2021

Extensibility

File Explorer can be continued to abutment non-default functionality by agency of Windows Carapace Extensions, which are COM altar that bung the continued functionality into Windows Explorer.22 Carapace extensions can be in the anatomy of carapace addendum handlers, toolbars or even namespace extensions that acquiesce assertive folders (or even non-filesystem altar such as the images scanned by a scanner) to be presented as a adapted folder. Book Explorer aswell allows metadata for files to be added as NTFS Alternate Abstracts Streams, abstracted from the abstracts beck for the file.

Shell addendum handlers are queried by the carapace advanced for modifying the activity the carapace takes. They can be associated on a per-file blazon base - area they will appearance up alone if a accurate activity takes abode on a accurate book blazon - or on a all-around base - which are consistently available. The carapace supports the afterward addendum handlers:

Handler Description Can be implemented on Required carapace version

Context card handler Adds card items to the ambience menu. It is alleged afore the ambience card is displayed. Per-file blazon basis Windows 95 and later. Windows 7 alien IExecuteCommand

Drag-and-drop handler Controls the activity aloft right-click annoyance and bead and modifies the ambience card that appears. Global basis Windows 95 and later

Drop ambition handler Controls the activity afterwards a abstracts article is abject and alone over a bead ambition such as a file. Per-file blazon basis Windows 95 and later

Data article handler Controls the activity afterwards a book is affected to the clipboard or abject and alone over a bead target. It can accommodate added clipboard formats to the bead target. Per-file blazon basis Windows 95 and later

Icon handler Assigns a custom figure to an alone book amidst a chic of book types. It is alleged afore book icons are displayed. Per-file blazon basis Windows 95 and later

Property area handler Replaces or adds pages to the acreage area chat box of an object. Per-file blazon basis Windows 95 and later

Copy angle handler Allows running, modifying or abstinent the activity if a user or appliance tries to copy, move, delete, or rename an object. Not associated with a book type Windows 95 and later

Search handler Allows carapace affiliation of a custom seek engine. Not associated with a book type Windows 95 and afterwards up to Windows XP

Infotip handler Allows retrieving flags and infotip advice for an account and announcement it central a popup tooltip aloft abrasion hover. Per-file blazon basis Windows Desktop Update and later

Thumbnail angel handler Provides for a thumbnail angel to be generated and displayed forth with its alpha blazon if a book is called or the thumbnail appearance is activated. Per-file blazon basis Windows Desktop Update and later. Windows Vista alien a newer IThumbnailProvider interface that aswell shows thumbnails in the Abstracts pane. The earlier IExtractImage is still accurate but not in the Abstracts pane.23

Disk Cleanup handler Add a new access to the Deejay Cleanup appliance and allows allegorical added deejay locations or files to apple-pie up. Per-folder basis Windows 98 and later

Column handler Allows creating and announcement custom columns in Windows Explorer Abstracts view. It can be acclimated to extend allocation and grouping. Per-folder basis Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows XP & Server 2003

Icon bury handler Allows announcement an bury figure over a carapace article (a book or binder icon). Per-file blazon basis Windows 2000 and later

Metadata handler Allows examination and modifying metadata stored in a file. It can be acclimated to extend abstracts appearance columns, infotips, acreage pages, allocation and grouping. Per-file blazon basis Windows 2000 and later

Filter abettor (IFilter) Allows book backdrop and its capacity to be indexed and searched by Indexing Service or Windows Search Per-file blazon basis Windows 2000 and later

AutoPlay handler Examines anew apparent disposable media and accessories and, based on agreeable such as pictures, music or video files, launches an adapted appliance to play or affectation the content. Per book blazon category. In Windows XP only, per-device and per book blazon category. Windows XP and later

Property handler Allows examination and modifying system-defined and custom backdrop of a file. Per-file blazon basis Windows Vista and later, on Windows XP if Windows Seek is installed.

Preview handler Renders added previews of items after ablution the absence appliance if a book is selected. It can aswell accommodate book type-specific aeronautics such as browsing a document, or gluttonous central a media file. Per-file blazon basis Windows Vista and later

Namespace extensions are acclimated by Explorer to either affectation some abstracts - which are not persisted as files - in a folder-like appearance or to present abstracts in a way that is altered from their alignment on the book system. This affection can be exploited by a Relational Book Arrangement like liquidFOLDERS or Tabbles, clones of the blighted Microsoft WinFS. Adapted Folders, such as My Computer and Network Places in Windows Explorer are implemented this way, as are Explorer angle that let items in a adaptable buzz or agenda camera be explored. Source-control systems that use Explorer to browse antecedent repositories aswell use Namespace extensions to acquiesce Explorer to browse the revisions. To apparatus a namespace extension, the IPersistFolder, IShellView, IShellFolder, IShellBrowser and IOleWindow interfaces needs to be implemented and registered. The accomplishing needs to accommodate the argumentation for abyssal the abstracts abundance as able-bodied as anecdotic the presentation. Windows Explorer will instantiate the COM altar as required.24

While Windows Explorer natively exposes the adaptability credibility as COM interfaces, .NET Framework can aswell be acclimated to address extensions, application the COM Interop functionality of .NET Framework.24 While Microsoft itself makes accessible extensions - such as the Photo Info tool25 - which are authored application .NET Framework, they currently acclaim adjoin autograph managed carapace extensions, as alone one instance of the CLR (prior to adaptation 4.0) can be loaded per-process. This behavior would could cause conflicts if assorted managed add-ins, targeting altered versions of the CLR, are attempted to be run simultaneously.2627

Limitations

Even in Windows 7, Explorer uses the ANSI API calls, so it is bound to operating on paths that accept beneath than 260 (MAX_PATH in windef.h) characters. The limitation applies to some operations like copying, affective or deleting files (to the recycle bin), but not to artlessly accessing files by double-click. Other Microsoft book tools, like Robocopy, do not accept this limitation.