Windows 11 Enable Compact View in File Explorer

You may be wondering how to enable Compact View in File Explorer in Windows 11? Let's review a couple of methods to activate it. Windows 11 comes with a brand-new File Explorer that offers more modern looks and better controls for all types of computers. To make using Windows 11 on touch-based devices more convenient, Microsoft increased spacing between elements in File Explorer. Although that change makes it easier to interact with files and folders, not all users like it. On regular laptops and desktop PCs, larger spaces between objects make zero to no sense; thus, users frequently ask how to enable compact view in File Explorer in Windows 11?

Enabling compact view in Windows 11 takes just a few clicks. In this article, we will list three ways to reduce the spacing between files and folders in File Explorer in Windows 11.

Enable Compact View in Windows 11 File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer using the icon on the taskbar or the Win + E keyboard shortcut.
2. In File Explorer, click the View button.
3. Next, place a check mark next to the Compact View option.

Once done, Windows will apply changes and reduce the spacing between elements in File Explorer immediately. No need to restart File Explorer or the entire system.

Using Folder Options

Here is another way how to turn on the compact view in File Explorer on Windows 11.

1. Open File Explorer using any preferred method.
2. Click the three-dots button on the toolbar and select Options.
3. In the new window, switch to the View tab.
4. Place a checkmark next to the "Decrease space between items" option.
5. Click OK to save the changes.

Again, no need to restart File Explorer, as Windows 11 applies changes right away.

Turn on Compact View in File Explorer in the Registry Editor.

Finally, you can enable the compact Explorer mode in Windows 11 using a simple tweak in Windows Registry.

1. Press Win + R and type regedit in the Run dialog.
2. Navigate to:  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. You can copy the path and paste it into the address bar in Registry Editor.
3. On the right side of the window, find the UseCompactMode value and double-click it.
4. Change the value data from 0 to 1. If you want to disable the compact view in File Explorer, change the value data from 1 to 0.
5. Click OK to save changes.
6. Close all File Explorer windows and open them again.

You are done!

Ready-for-use registry files

You can automate the process described above using ready-for-use registry files. They allow you to enable or disable compact view in File Explorer in Windows 11 with a single click.

1. Download еру registry files in a ZIP archive using this link.
2. Unpack the files wherever is convenient for you.
3. Open the "Enable compact mode in File Explorer.reg" file and confirm changes in the registry.
4. To revert changes to defaults, open the "Disable compact mode in File Explorer.reg" file.

The files above apply changes by modifying values in the Windows registry, namely UseCompactView. You can open in Notepad any of the two files and see a path to a value and a value data it sets.

That's it. Now you know how to enable or disable compact view in File Explorer in Windows 11.

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