Where is explorer in windows 8

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Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. Type file explorer into Start. You should see a folder icon appear at the top of the Start window.

This icon is used on wikiHow as fair use because it is being used to provide how-to instructions. Consider different methods for opening File Explorer. Method 2. Type windows explorer into Start. Consider alternative ways of opening Windows Explorer. See How to Back Up Data.

Not Helpful 3 Helpful 7. See How to Open File Explorer for specific instructions that apply to newer versions of Windows like 8. Not Helpful 3 Helpful The purpose of Windows Explorer is to let you view, open, copy, move, and otherwise manage your files and folders.

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 7. To open the contents of your removable drive, just open your File Explorer or Library. Select "This PC", then scroll down to devices and drives, and it should appear.

If you've used prior versions of Windows before, File Explorer should feel like a familiar way to manage and organize your files. Click the buttons in the interactive below to become more familiar with the File Explorer interface. Use the Address bar to see the path of the current folder. Use the search bar to search for specific files or folders. The Ribbon allows you to access different tabs with options for viewing, sharing, and organizing your files, as well as common shortcuts like copy and paste.

Use the Back and Forward buttons to navigate between folders. You can quickly navigate between folders in the Navigation pane. Simply click a folder to make a selection. Double-click a file to open it in the default application. The View tab makes it easy to change the way files are displayed within a folder.

For example, you may prefer to see your files as a list when viewing documents and as large icons when viewing pictures. Depending on the folder, you may also want to sort your files. For example, you can sort files by size, name, date created, date modified, file type, and much more. In addition to the Search feature found on the Charms bar, you can also search for files directly from File Explorer using the Search bar.

File Explorer also offers more advanced search options , which can be especially helpful if you're having trouble finding a specific file. Whenever you enter a term into the search bar, the Search Tools tab will open automatically on the Ribbon. Although this guide is written for Windows 8, you will find that the Windows 7 File Explorer is very similar.

The main difference is that, in Windows 8, there is a toolbar, known as the 'Ribbon', across the top of the window. Anything that you save on a computer is called a 'File'. There are many different types of file but the most common ones are documents, photographs, music tracks and videos. Each file will have a different icon, depending on which program is set to open it. Some common ones are:. On another computer, the file icons may be slightly different depending on the programs installed.

Place your mouse pointer over an icon to view some information about the file. Folders are used to organise files. These have yellow icons right.

Double click a folder to see the files that are stored in it. From the Windows 8 Start screen, click the Desktop tile and you should see the yellow File Explorer icon in the taskbar. Double click one of the Library icons to see any folders or files that have already been saved.

Libraries are different from Folders in that they gather together files of the same type that are stored in several locations. For example, if you have photographs stored in the Picture folder on your computer hard disk and also on an external drive, you can view them all together in the Picture Library.

It is possible to create new Libraries by clicking the icon in the Ribbon and typing a name for it e. When you place your mouse pointer over the libraries in the pane on the left hand side of the screen, you will see a small arrow appear. Click this to see the folders that are included in that library. Files saved in a Public folder are viewable in all user accounts on the same computer and on any computer in the same network.

Step 3: Type a name for the folder and press the Enter key when you have finished. Step 3: Type a new name and press the Enter key when you have finished.