Help me understand how Windows 11 File Manager organizes its display

Factual Questions
1

What is confusing me is the three panels on the left of the File Manager screen.

My top panel lists Home, Gallery, and Mean Mr. Mustard as the main files, with sub-files of Documents and Pictures under mmm.

The middle panel shows Downloads, Documents, Music, Videos, and what appears to be some recently opened files. Many of these have pins next to them.

The third panel, the only one I understand, has This PC, Local Disc C, etc.

I guess the top two are shortcuts of a sort, allowing me to open frequently accessed files?

If so, what is the difference between the two? Why does Documents appear in both?

Thanks!

mmm

2

The middle panel is “Libraries” and are all sort of related to each other, in a general sense of “stuff I have in file-type categories”.

The top panel is frequently used folders that are from anywhere throughout your PC. Some are the ones they anticipate as being frequently used based on their own research of users, some are actually frequently used by you as you use them. The pins are there to keep them in view, you can unpin them by right-clicking on them, or add your own pins by dragging an open folder into the list.

3

Thanks, GuanoLad.

I have a new laptop that I am trying to organize. My problem is that, in order to open a file - one that has not been recently used - I have to do a deep dive into 6 or 7 subfolders to find it.

Is there a way to have ALL my Documents (or Pictures) files show in the easily-accessible Libraries area?

mmm

4

Drag the folder it’s in onto the top list and it should pin there. Unfortunately the depth of the folder trees are usually unavoidable.

But there are many different ways to keep a file readily accessible, and putting it into the Explorer tree is not necessarily the most efficient. I personally put my most frequently used apps and folder shortcuts on the desktop, and arrange them into loose groups, rather than a chaotic jumble.

5

A well-deserved thank you, GuanoLad.

In several decades of computin’, it never occurred to me (duh) to have my most-used files live on the desktop.

mmm

6

This is the key. I have seen other people’s computers at work where the entire desktop is covered in shortcuts. And it makes me wonder how the heck they can find anything in that mess.

7

Never mind.

8

Agreed. My current (new and sparse) desktop is perfect for what I want it to do.

I am a cappy hamper.

mmm