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How to launch the Universal File Explorer app in Windows 10

As you may already know, Windows 10 build 14936 comes with a new Universal app. It is a modern File Explorer, a UWP app which could replace the classic File Explorer in the near future. Many readers ask in comments how to launch the app in Windows 10 build 14936. Here is how it can be done.
uwp-file-explorerAs of this writing, the application is basically ported from Windows 10 Mobile. It is a touch oriented app, with no Ribbon or toolbar or any shell extensions. It might be interesting for touch screen users. The operating system has no shortcut to launch it, so you need to create it yourself.

  1. Right click the Desktop and select New - Shortcut.Windows 10 new - shortcut
  2. In the shortcut target box, type or copy-paste the following command:
    explorer.exe shell:AppsFolder\c5e2524a-ea46-4f67-841f-6a9465d9d515_cw5n1h2txyewy!App

    uwp-explorer-create-shortcut

  3. Type some useful name for your new shortcut and set the appropriate icon.
    name-shortcut uwp-file-explorer-fi
    Now you can launch it.uwp-file-explorer-splash

Here is the new app in action:

That's it. Many thanks to @tfwboredom for his tips.

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

24 thoughts on “How to launch the Universal File Explorer app in Windows 10”

  1. I still can’t open the new UWP File Explorer despite the fact that I copied the text correctly and pasted it to a blank shortcut. Instead, it opens, the Document folder of my user profile.

  2. I wonder why anyone would ever want UWP Explorer? Like all UWP apps, it’ll lack in features–forever. So it’s not that. The only thing I can think of is for touch, but is there really a calling for by-touch file management?!

  3. Hi, not working on pro build 14946 x64 french…
    everything is right, but no shortcut on start menu, but maybe something called “newcastle”, which is a white window.

  4. Got the new UWP File Explorer working on Win10, after updating from 1903 to 2004, has caused the old file explorer to immediately force close on attempting to open to view any drives or directories.
    While it saves my hide, the UWP app is not a patch on the old one.
    1. No ability to create shortcuts to folders for the desktop
    2. All folder customizations are ignored
    3a. It does not have any ability to sort by file extensions.
    3b. It has no setting to make it display file extensions in the right pane.
    3c. It only displays file extensions in its File Rename overlay.
    4. It has no setting to force the display of hidden folders/files.

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