I love this modern take on Microsoft's File Explorer with a modern AI semantic search — too bad it’s just a Windows 12 concept

Over the past few years, I've highlighted tons of Windows concepts designed by Windows enthusiasts, including "Windows 12.2" and more. But what if Microsoft rebuilt File Explorer from the ground up for Windows 12?

YouTuber and concept designer Abdi (aka AR 4789) shared an intriguing Windows 12 design with a bias on the File Explorer. As expected, the design gives the File Explorer a modern look, which aligns with Microsoft's Fluent design language (via Neowin).

Windows remains the most popular desktop OS, even if Microsoft has struggled to get users to upgrade to Windows 11 before pulling the plug on Windows 10. Regardless, it's still fun to imagine what might come next with Windows "12" (or whatever it'll be called), and this is a great start.

Hardware requirements for Windows 11 were a sore point (in fact, they're becoming stricter, making some requirements like TPM non-negotiable), but there's no limit to what Microsoft could do with Windows' user interface. Abdi makes some clever suggestions for File Explorer that I'd love to see added in an official capacity.

Windows 12: File Explorer Gets a Major Makeover! - YouTube

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The File Explorer icon on the Taskbar remains pretty much the same, but it would add new features like Collectzone, which, as Abdi highlights, allows users to drag and drop items that belong to the same category into a collection, which can also be pinned on the navigation pane.

This concept design also adds Widgets to the File Explorer that highlight your content and collections across the app, alongside showing how much storage your files and folders have taken up on your drives.

File Explorer itself would also have a consistent dark theme, which is arguably better than Microsoft's current setup in Windows 11 that Zac Bowden describes as "embarrassingly incomplete with common UI interfaces still brightly colored when dark mode is enabled."

Windows 12's imaginary File Explorer app also features a redesigned Properties UI and a file restoration experience, with photos getting a glow-up with a new feature called Filmstrip view, which is essentially a carousel that lets users jump between images.

Of course, Generative AI is in there, too. An AI-powered search experience would help users find content by understanding their intent and context, rather than just matching file names. You could also assign your folders and icons different colors for better categorization and identification.

💬 Could Microsoft give File Explorer the upgrade it deserves?

As always, this is just a concept design that could represent (even in part) some of Microsoft's plans to revamp its File Explorer app in Windows in the future.

Elsewhere, a false report indicated that Microsoft was getting ready to ship Windows 12 later this year. While it has since been established that this isn't the case and Microsoft's Windows roadmap will primarily focus on addressing Windows 11's pain points and reevaluating its AI strategy, it's difficult to disassociate the fact that Abdi's concept would be a great addition to the Windows ecosystem.

To be honest, I'm even adding it to my Windows 12 wishlist. I want to see it happen.

If Microsoft built this AI-powered File Explorer for Windows 12, how would you feel? Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

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