In certain respects, File Explorer is better on Windows 11. However, it still has problems. For instance, the search feature is still slow and doesn’t always produce the best results. I turn to alternatives like Everything and Listary for a better experience. Another issue facing it that you might not think of is its responsiveness to networked drives.
Networking drives are essential for those working in home labs and business environments. Not being able to use them hinders productivity since it affects access to different PC files. When networking (often called mapping) a drive, you may experience issues such as the drive disappearing after reboot, inaccessibility to specific files, or File Explorer freezing up. For instance, when that happens, you might find an error code c0000375 (or odd GUI behavior) that prevents you from accessing files on the drive. It's irksome that this happens with an essential feature that many users still rely on. Microsoft seems to be unaware that not everyone uses OneDrive or other cloud storage.
How to map a network drive on Windows 11
If you want to access a folder on another PC on your network, you can map a network drive on Windows 11. Here's how to do it.
Networked drive problems
They're freezing up and disappearing
Mapped networked drives allow you to remotely access a drive's files and bring them to your system. A lot of users are experiencing issues where File Explorer freezes while trying to access them, or worse, after a reboot, they disappear. There are some reasons to consider. First, the networked drive feature on Windows is a legacy technology. Also, Microsoft has deprecated some related protocols, such as the old Server Message Block (SMB) known as SMBv1 and DirectAccess, due to security risks. However, SMBv2 and 3 are still fully supported. With DirectAccess being essentially forgotten, networked drives and file sharing are more difficult to access, especially outside the network.
However, users continue to face problems getting their files transferred via File Explorer. But it's unlikely there will be an update that improves networked drive technology. Windows is working on an ancient backend. While it's continued to be modernized by Microsoft, Windows 11 is built on the Windows NT kernel. The file system was created prior to when networking files took off. The system sees the drive letter you assign it, but not the drive as your drives would be detected. File Explorer has problems finding your files because it's looking for icons and displaying them.
In addition, older hard drives are slow, and network bandwidth can be an issue that causes File Explorer problems with finding items on the drive. Physical drives store the data in separate sectors, which can cause a 10-second delay when asked to remotely serve you a file. You can defragment the drive and can help get your data in order for faster access. However, you want to back it up before doing the defragmentation process, since it literally is rewriting your disk, and files could get damaged.
File Explorer is obviously the culprit when it comes to finding your data on networked drives. You can also restart File Explorer when it freezes while attempting to access a mapped drive. Press Ctrl + Ctrl + Del, right-click Windows Explorer, and select Restart, and see if it continues to freeze while accessing the files on the drive.
However, there may be light at the end of the tunnel. Check out the sections below for some things you can try to fix problems accessing networked drives from File Explorer. Some are basic steps and seemingly odd workarounds, but they might get you back in business or allow better access to your files.
How to map a network drive on Windows 11
If you want to access a folder on another PC on your network, you can map a network drive on Windows 11. Here's how to do it.
Check network
Double-check that all settings are enabled so that File Explorer works
While creating a shared drive and mapping it isn't the main problem (it's getting files), it's important to ensure that the networked drives are set up correctly. This is helpful, so File Explorer doesn’t freeze or make your files inaccessible. This seems like basics, and it is, but I can't count the number of times when I forget a basic step and can't figure out why things aren't working. Ensure your Wi-Fi is set as a private network, and that the file and printer sharing option is enabled. Another step you might miss is turning on public folder sharing, which can all be done in the Settings app. When setting up the drive you want to share, ensure that you assign Full Control permissions to it. In addition, ensure that the Password protected sharing setting is also turned off in the Settings app.
Once you verify that those settings are where they need to be, try accessing files from File Explorer and see what happens. Not having the correct settings enabled can cause the drive to freeze up, crash, or become inaccessible. Also, on the PC, you try accessing other mapped drives; ensure the “Network discovery and file sharing” option is turned on.
Pinned items and corrupt cache
Watch the number of items pinned to Quick Access in File Explorer
When using it, I rely on pinning items to the Quick Access pane in the left corner of File Explorer. This helpful feature allows you to access frequently used folders and other items. However, too many pinned items can cause File Explorer to crash. A corrupt Quick Access cache becomes corrupt over time, so clearing a corrupt cache can fix the issue.
However, this workaround will remove all pinned items, and you will need to re-pin them after clearing the cache. Also, when re-pinning items, try to pin as few items as possible. Press Win + R, paste the following paths into the Run dialog, and click OK. Delete all the files from each directory—some files can’t be removed, and others will reappear, which is normal.
%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations
%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations
This will remove corrupt cache files and all your pinned items. This is easier than deleting them individually and clearing temp files. Proceed at your discretion if you aren’t sure if you want pinned items gone.
If you continue to have issues with your mapped drives, you can set the default view to the "This PC" view instead of Quick Access. This option completely removes the view of pinned items in Quick Access, so you won’t be able to pin items for easy access.
How to remove Quick Access on Windows
The Quick Access page in Windows 10 can be useful, but it can also be annoying. Here's how to remove it.
Alternatives are an option
Access networked drives with a File Explorer alternative
So, File Explorer is freezing up, and you don’t want to remove Quick Access. What do you do? Try an alternative to File Explorer. For instance, XYplorer could see my networked drive and access the files quickly. However, my test is anecdotal since I set it up and used it for a couple of days. So, issues may arise over time. XYplorer is a dual-pane file manager with tabs and a customizable dual-pane view, and is light on system resources. There is also a portable version that you can stick on a flash drive and bring to different PCs that have the issue. It's fully customizable and allows access to files from its Rapid Access section.
You can also try File Pilot to see if it is a solid alternative for accessing files on mapped drives.
The good thing about these alternatives is that they don’t replace File Explorer on your PC. Instead, they run beside it. This allows you to use XYplorer when File Explorer is acting unstable. Setting up the connection to a networked drive is a bit different by going to Tools -> Special -> Map network drive. After that, the connectivity to a mapped drive is similar to what you would do via File Explorer. Creating a mapped drive is like creating one in File Explorer.
Another dual-pane file manager you can check out is FreeCommander. Once you use these alternatives for specific reasons like accessing mapped drives, you might like them enough to use them full-time.
File Explorer fails in many ways, and alternatives are becoming more convenient and in demand. It’s important to note that some third-party file managers may be trialware (like XYplorer), which means you can use them for free for a limited time, and then you have to buy a license. Still, if you get stuck, these alternatives can be helpful if you are stuck accessing files from mapped drives.
XYplorer
Fixing File Explorer and networked drives
File Explorer is bad with networked drives because it's outdated technology and constantly runs into problems. It seems like when OneDrive was rolled out, the company forgot about users with physical drives on a network. Also, the Quick Access cache becomes corrupt. File and cache corruption is often the culprit in Windows and apps. Still, it is unfortunate that you need to resort to removing pinned items or using an alternative browser to access the files.
That doesn’t mean a third-party solution may not work because its cache can become corrupt. Just like your browser, the OS, or other apps like Spotify, a corrupt cache is a glaring issue. Remember that it is important to keep your systems updated. Hopefully, Microsoft will release a bug fix that will patch the problem.