File Explorer is the folder icon on your taskbar, or you can press Windows key + E to open it

File Explorer is the program that shows you all your files and folders on your computer. It looks like a folder icon and usually sits in the taskbar at the bottom of your screen. If you don't see it there, you can open it by pressing the Windows key (the key with four squares) and the letter E at the same time. File Explorer is where you'll spend most of your time when you're organizing files.

Once File Explorer opens, you'll see your computer's storage laid out in a tree structure on the left side and the contents of whatever folder you've selected on the right. The left panel shows your main locations: This PC (which shows your drives), Quick Access (your most-used folders), and any external drives you've plugged in. The right side shows what's actually inside each folder.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer when ready from anywhere on your computer.
  • The folder icon in your taskbar is the quickest way to open File Explorer if you prefer clicking.
  • File Explorer shows your entire file structure, with drives and folders on the left and their contents on the right.
  • If the taskbar icon is missing, you can pin File Explorer to it by right-clicking the icon in your Start menu.
  • Your Documents, Downloads, Desktop, and Pictures folders are the main places Windows stores your personal files by default.

Finding the File Explorer icon in your taskbar

Look at the bottom of your screen where your taskbar sits. Scan from left to right for a folder icon — it usually looks like a manila folder or a folder with a magnifying glass. That's File Explorer. Click it once and the program opens. If you use File Explorer often, it's usually already pinned there, meaning it stays in the same spot every time you restart your computer.

If you don't see a folder icon in your taskbar, it may have been unpinned. Click the Windows Start button (bottom left corner), type "File Explorer" in the search box, and the program will appear. Right-click on it and select "Pin to taskbar" so it stays there for next time.

Using the keyboard shortcut to open File Explorer when ready

The fastest way to open File Explorer is to press and hold the Windows key (the one with four small squares), then press the letter E. Release both keys. File Explorer opens when ready, no matter what program you're using or what you're doing on your screen. This works on any Windows computer, so it's worth memorizing if you work with files regularly.

If the Windows key + E shortcut doesn't work, it may have been disabled or reassigned by your computer's administrator. In that case, use the taskbar icon or the Start menu search instead. Some older or heavily customized computers occasionally have this issue, but it's rare.

What you see when File Explorer opens

When File Explorer first opens, you'll usually land in "Quick Access," which shows your most-used folders and recent files. The left sidebar shows your main storage locations: "This PC" (your hard drives), "Quick Access," and any external drives like USB sticks or external hard drives you've plugged in. Below that, you may see OneDrive or other cloud storage if you've set it up.

The right side of the window shows the contents of whatever folder you've selected on the left. If you click "This PC," you'll see your C: drive (your main hard drive) and any other drives attached to your computer. If you click "Documents," you'll see all the files and folders inside your Documents folder. Double-click any folder to open it and see what's inside.

Finding your main folders: Documents, Downloads, Desktop, and Pictures

Windows creates four main folders for you automatically: Documents, Downloads, Desktop, and Pictures. These are the folders where most of your personal files end up. You can see all of them in the left sidebar of File Explorer under "Quick Access." Click any one to see what's inside.

Documents is where you should save most of your work — word documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, and similar files. Downloads is where files from the internet land when you read them (email attachments, software installers, files from websites). Desktop is the folder that shows up on your actual desktop background — anything you save there appears as an icon on your screen. Pictures is where photos and image files go. Understanding which folder holds what makes it much easier to find files later.

Navigating between folders and going back

Double-click any folder to open it and see what's inside. Once you're inside a folder, you can see the path at the top of the window showing where you are — for example, "This PC > C: > Users > YourName > Documents." To go back to the previous folder, click the back arrow button at the top left of the window, or press the Backspace key on your keyboard. You can click the back arrow multiple times to go back several levels.

If you want to jump directly to a specific location, click on any part of the path at the top. For example, if the path shows "This PC > C: > Users > YourName > Documents > Work," you can click "Users" to jump back to the Users folder without clicking back multiple times. This saves time when you're moving between distant folders.

Pinning frequently used folders to Quick Access

If you have a folder you use constantly, you can pin it to the "Quick Access" section on the left sidebar so it's always one click away. Navigate to the folder you want to pin, right-click on it, and select "Pin to Quick Access." The folder now appears in your Quick Access list every time you open File Explorer, even if you restart your computer.

You can also drag a folder directly onto "Quick Access" in the left sidebar to pin it. If you later decide you don't want a folder pinned there, right-click it in Quick Access and select "Unpin from Quick Access." This keeps your sidebar clean and shows only the folders you actually use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if File Explorer won't open when I press Windows + E?

Try clicking the folder icon in your taskbar instead. If that doesn't work, click the Windows Start button, type "File Explorer," and click the result. If File Explorer still won't open, restart your computer. If the problem continues, your computer may have a system issue that requires technical support.

Can I have multiple File Explorer windows open at the same time?

Yes. Press Windows + E again to open a second window, or right-click the File Explorer icon in your taskbar and select "File Explorer" from the menu. This is useful when you're moving or copying files between folders — you can see both the source and destination folders at the same time.

Where do I find files I downloaded from the internet?

They're in your Downloads folder. Open File Explorer, click "Downloads" in the left sidebar, and you'll see all your downloaded files. If you can't find a specific file, it may have been saved to a different location — check your Documents folder or Desktop, or use the search box at the top right of File Explorer to search by filename.

How do I see file extensions like .docx or .pdf in File Explorer?

Click the "View" tab at the top of File Explorer, then check the box next to "File name extensions." File extensions now appear after every filename, showing you what type of file it is. This is helpful when organizing because you can see at a glance whether something is a Word document, a PDF, an image, or something else.

What's the difference between This PC and Quick Access?

Quick Access shows your most-used folders and recent files for fast access. This PC shows your actual hard drives and storage devices. Use Quick Access for folders you visit constantly, and use This PC when you need to see your entire storage structure or access a drive directly.