Question Microsoft giveth then taketh away....the "ribbon"

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T

tcsenter

Lifer
Sep 7, 2001
18,531
335
126
Nice. Spent four or five years jamming the Explorer (and MS app) ribbon onto everyone and when you get accustomed to it, learn to use it effectively, MSFT takes it away in W11 with NO solutions (after 22H2) for getting it back. THANKS

Edit: there ARE working solutions below! WinAero Tweaker FTW!
 
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mikeymikec

mikeymikec

Lifer
May 19, 2011
18,471
11,093
136
www.elevenforum.com

Restore Classic File Explorer with Ribbon in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to restore the classic File Explorer with Ribbon for your account or all users in Windows 11. File Explorer in Windows 10 has a ribbon, tabs, and a title bar with color. The ribbon includes common tasks, such as copying and moving, creating new folders, emailing...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com

As far as I'm concerned, good riddance to the ribbon in File Explorer :) It always seemed like an awkward crowbar'ing of Office UI design aesthetics, like that expression: "If you only have a hammer, you see every problem like a nail".

However it's par for the course these days that when Microsoft changes its mind about UI design, they don't offer an easy way back.

Side note - when googling this topic, people referring to the ribbon as "classic" throws my brain for a loop! A menu bar followed by one or two horizontal toolbars is "classic" in Windows terms, IMO.
 
M

MangoX

Senior member
Feb 13, 2001
591
108
106
I can't stand w11 file Explorer. Screw Microsoft. I use Explorer patcher to get back the original functionality of the og w10. Not the updated w10 like has ads and Spyware galore. EP can also restore the original context menu, and a ton of other stuff. Check it out
 
mikeymikec

mikeymikec

Lifer
May 19, 2011
18,471
11,093
136
@MangoX ah, make win11 look like win10, I misread your post. I thought you meant make Win10 22H2 look like Win10 1507 or something similar.

I fired up my win10 vm and was trying to spot the difference between your screenshot and file explorer here, only to realise that the rounded corners and the buttons in the bottom-right corner don't match win10, then the penny dropped and I re-read your post :)
 
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Reactions: MangoX
M

MangoX

Senior member
Feb 13, 2001
591
108
106
Not to endorse ExplorerPatcher or anything, but it does so much more. Example with a non-activated copy of Windows M$ doesn't allow you to customize the taskbar for example. With EP, you can uncombine the apps and move the Start menu to the left, and get rid of all that janky stuff on the taskbar. I run many windows/instances of the same apps, and nothing bothers me more than combining them.
 
T

tcsenter

Lifer
Sep 7, 2001
18,531
335
126
lantis3 said:
WinAero

winaero.com

How to Restore Classic File Explorer with Ribbon in Windows 11

You can restore the Classic File Explorer with Ribbon in Windows 11 if you are not happy with the modern one. As of this writing, it is a matter of one
winaero.com
Click to expand...

HEY the registry mod detailed there worked! A couple other sites I checked had edited their pages to say the registry mod no longer worked as of 23H2 but this one is working here. Reportedly the only thing missing is the "share" button/feature which I don't care about. Thanks!

Edit: And even the "share" tab on the ribbon appears to be working! At least, it is present and things are select-able. I haven't actually tried to use them.

Now anyone know of way to get back the old right-click context pop-out menu when right-clicking on a file or folder? You can still get to the old menu style by right-clicking an object and scrolling down to the bottom and selecting 'Show More Options'. But I would like it to do that from the get-go.
 
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T

tcsenter

Lifer
Sep 7, 2001
18,531
335
126
Sweet that worked. WinAero got it covered. I had forgotten about this utility hadn't used it in a number of years. Thanks again!
 
T

tcsenter

Lifer
Sep 7, 2001
18,531
335
126
mikeymikec said:
www.elevenforum.com

Restore Classic File Explorer with Ribbon in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to restore the classic File Explorer with Ribbon for your account or all users in Windows 11. File Explorer in Windows 10 has a ribbon, tabs, and a title bar with color. The ribbon includes common tasks, such as copying and moving, creating new folders, emailing...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com

As far as I'm concerned, good riddance to the ribbon in File Explorer :) It always seemed like an awkward crowbar'ing of Office UI design aesthetics, like that expression: "If you only have a hammer, you see every problem like a nail".
Click to expand...

I was very resistant to the ribbon but eventually, somewhat begrudgingly, gotten accustomed to it and then it became the norm. This is kind of different though in that the 'new' UI doesn't give the function I want so I am always using the 'see more options' to get to them. It not just a matter of appearance or aesthetic.
 
T

tcsenter

Lifer
Sep 7, 2001
18,531
335
126
So yeah, now having the Explorer Ribbon and full context menu back, moving the 'Start' button (and icons) to the left side of the Taskbar, I'm really not seeing much difference at all between W11 and W10. Totally useable for me now and can't find much to complain about. Well except the continued march toward even more advert linking, promotion, and more things trying to push you into using or logging in with a Microsoft account. But that is just a difference of degree, not a new thing. WinAero Tweaker FTW!
 
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