Windows 11 File Explorer Tabs Reopen Wrong Folders: Fix

You open File Explorer expecting your previous browsing session with multiple tabs, but the tabs reopen showing different folders or the default Quick Access view. This behavior occurs because File Explorer’s session restore feature relies on a specific system setting and a corrupted cache file. This article explains why the wrong folders appear and provides three methods to fix the issue permanently.

Why File Explorer Tabs Reopen to the Wrong Folders

Windows 11 File Explorer can remember open tabs when you restart the app or sign out. This feature depends on two components working together: the “Restore previous folder windows at logon” setting and a registry-based cache that stores the folder paths of each open tab. When either component is misconfigured or corrupted, tabs reload with default locations such as Quick Access, This PC, or the Documents folder instead of the folders you actually had open.

The most common root cause is a corrupted BagMRU registry key. This key stores the view settings and folder history for each Explorer window and tab. Over time, incomplete writes or system crashes can leave stale or incorrect folder paths in this key. When File Explorer starts, it reads the corrupted data and opens the wrong folders. A second cause is the “Restore previous folder windows at logon” setting being disabled, which prevents tab restoration entirely. A third cause is a conflict with third-party shell extensions that intercept the folder session data.

How the Session Restore Feature Works

When you close File Explorer with multiple tabs open, Windows saves the folder path of each tab to the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. The value PersistBrowsers (DWORD) controls whether this data is saved. If set to 0, no tab data is saved. If set to 1, the data is written to the BagMRU and Bags keys. On next launch, Explorer reads these keys and rebuilds each tab. If the data is missing or malformed, Explorer falls back to the default folder specified in Folder Options.

Steps to Fix File Explorer Tabs That Reopen Wrong Folders

Apply these fixes in the order listed. Each method targets a different cause, so running all three ensures the issue is resolved regardless of the underlying problem.

Method 1: Enable Folder Session Restore in File Explorer Options

1. Open File Explorer Options
   Press Windows + R, type control folders, and press Enter. This opens the Folder Options dialog.
2. Switch to the View tab
   Click the View tab at the top of the dialog.
3. Enable the restore setting
   Scroll down the Advanced settings list. Check the box labeled Restore previous folder windows at logon.
4. Apply and restart Explorer
   Click Apply, then OK. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Escape, find Windows Explorer in the Processes list, right-click it, and select Restart.

Method 2: Force Tab Persistence via Registry

1. Open Registry Editor
   Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control.
2. Navigate to the Explorer Advanced key
   Copy and paste this path into the address bar at the top of Registry Editor: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3. Create or modify the PersistBrowsers value
   In the right pane, right-click an empty area and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it PersistBrowsers. Double-click the new value, set Value data to 1, and click OK.
4. Restart File Explorer
   Close Registry Editor. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Escape, find Windows Explorer, right-click it, and select Restart.

Method 3: Clear Corrupted BagMRU and Bags Registry Keys

1. Open Registry Editor
   Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Back up the BagMRU and Bags keys
   Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell. Right-click the BagMRU folder in the left pane and select Export. Save the .reg file to your Desktop. Repeat for the Bags folder.
3. Delete the BagMRU and Bags keys
   Right-click the BagMRU folder and select Delete. Confirm the deletion. Right-click the Bags folder and select Delete. Confirm the deletion.
4. Restart your computer
   Close Registry Editor and restart your PC. File Explorer will rebuild the BagMRU and Bags keys with fresh data the next time you open folders.

If File Explorer Still Opens Wrong Folders After the Main Fix

Third-party shell extensions interfere with tab saving

Some programs add context menu handlers or toolbar extensions that modify how File Explorer saves its session. Examples include cloud storage apps like Dropbox or Google Drive, and compression tools like 7-Zip or WinRAR. To test, open a clean boot environment: press Windows + R, type msconfig, go to the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, click Disable all, then go to the Startup tab and open Task Manager to disable all startup items. Restart and test File Explorer. If tabs work correctly, re-enable services and startup items one by one to identify the conflict.

Windows 11 version 22H2 or earlier lacks tab persistence

File Explorer tabs were introduced in Windows 11 version 22H2, but the ability to restore tabs across sessions was added in version 23H2. If you are on version 22H2 or earlier, the setting and registry key described above will not work. To check your version, press Windows + R, type winver, and press Enter. If your build number is below 22621.0, you must update to Windows 11 version 23H2 or later to use tab restore. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates and install the latest feature update.

Fast Startup prevents proper session saving

Fast Startup, enabled by default on most Windows 11 systems, saves system state to a hibernation file rather than performing a full shutdown. This can prevent File Explorer from writing the tab session data to the registry. Disable Fast Startup by going to Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do. Click Change settings that are currently unavailable, then uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended). Click Save changes and restart your PC.

Tab Persistence Settings Comparison

Item	Restore Previous Folder Windows at Logon	PersistBrowsers Registry DWORD
Location	File Explorer Options > View tab	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Default value	Unchecked	0 (disabled)
What it controls	Restores all Explorer windows and tabs from previous session on sign-in	Enables saving of browser-style tab data (folder paths) to the registry
Effect if disabled	File Explorer opens with default folder (Quick Access or This PC)	Tab folder paths are not saved, even if the option above is checked
Applies to Windows 11 version	22H2 and later	23H2 and later

You now have three methods to fix File Explorer tabs that reopen wrong folders: enabling the restore setting, forcing the registry value, and clearing the BagMRU cache. Start with the first method and test after each step. If the issue persists, disable Fast Startup and check for third-party shell extensions. For the best results, ensure you are running Windows 11 version 23H2 or newer, as earlier versions do not fully support tab persistence.