Windows 11 has redesigned many aspects of the user experience, yet the core File Explorer sometimes still feels a bit… well, basic. Over time, I discovered that a handful of third‑party add‑ons can transform this everyday utility into a powerhouse, enabling me to work faster, stay organized, and even enjoy a few pleasant surprises along the way. Here are the File Explorer add‑ons I rely on to make my life easier on Windows 11.
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5
TeraCopy
Great for transferring large files and folders
File Explorer is not that great for copying or moving files between folders or on external drives. And if you want to do multiple transfers at the same time, forget about it, unless you want to slow down your machine considerably.
TeraCopy is a tool with a File Explorer add-on that provides a much faster way to move files in bulk from one drive or directory to another. If you have multiple transferring jobs, the app queues them one after another, and it dynamically adjusts block sizes to make the transfer faster. Plus, it can skip files that cause errors, continuing the rest of the transfer normally.
That means you can set up as many transfer jobs before going to sleep, and you will find them completed in the morning. The app has a free version which works great, but if you need more features and faster performance, you can also go for the paid version.
4
Peek
Get a better look at your files
If you have several documents similarly named, you will have to open them one by one until you get the exact one you’re looking for, right? Wrong! If you use a tool called Peek, available in the PowerToys suite, you can get a preview of the image or document without needing to actually open it.
To do that, you will only need to get PowerToys, enable Peek, and press Ctrl + Space after you select a file in File Explorer. This way, you will see a full-size preview of the document or the full image.
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The best part is that Peek works in tandem with File Explorer even when you’re in preview mode. So, you can use the arrow keys in a folder to switch from one file to another and see the preview for the next file.
3
DropIt
Get your files organized in minutes
DropIt is not really a File Explorer add-on, but you can still use it with the Microsoft app to organize your files a lot faster. Let’s say that I want to have all the MP3 files in the same music folder. The usual approach would be to search for all the files with the .mp3 extension, then copy them into the folder.
This app simplifies this process by allowing you to set up rules for any files you drop on its icon and apply them instantly. So, I can set a rule to copy all the MP3 files into the music folder. Then, every time I drop some music files on the icon, they will instantly end up in the same folder I’ve set up.
But that’s not all. You can set up rules to rename or compress files, to send them via email, or perform many other actions I haven’t yet discovered.
2
Image Resizer
Resizing images with three clicks
If you’re working with images daily, like me, you will definitely appreciate Image Resizer, a File Explorer add-on from the Microsoft PowerToys suite. After you enable it from PowerToys, you will get the Resize with Image Resizer option in the right-click context menu from File Explorer.
Then, you have three default resizing options to choose from. However, you can set up your own custom sizes, pick the right encoder for your needs, and specify the quality of the resized image. You even have the option to enable PNG interlacing or set up the TIFF compression method.
When you resize an image, you can overwrite it or create a new resized image. This way, with three clicks and a few seconds, you can resize almost any image to any desired resolution. The cherry on top is that you can resize images in bulk!
1
PowerRename
Bulk renaming for the masses
Renaming files and folders in File Explorer is a time-consuming option if you’re dealing with a long list of files. That’s because there is no option to rename them in bulk. However, PowerRename from PowerToys allows you to do just that.
Once you enable it, you will see the Rename with PowerRename option on the right-click contextual menu.
The only problem is that the tool is a lot more complex than just renaming some files. You have the options to delete certain words or characters from the names, concatenate them with set words, replace text, and a lot more. For instance, you can automatically add the date and time of creation to the end of the filename to sort them out easily afterward.
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These File Explorer add‑ons are not mandatory, but they certainly improved my workflow in Windows 11. If you’re looking to reclaim time, boost efficiency, and even add a dash of fun to your daily computing routine, I highly recommend exploring them.
