{"id":48190,"date":"2023-01-22T10:29:46","date_gmt":"2023-01-22T09:29:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/?p=48190"},"modified":"2023-01-22T10:30:23","modified_gmt":"2023-01-22T09:30:23","slug":"win-e-open-new-tab-in-explorer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/48190\/win-e-open-new-tab-in-explorer\/","title":{"rendered":"WIN + E &#8211; Open new tab in Explorer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Explorer in Windows now has tabs. How can I open a new tab with the Windows key and E?<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of content<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/48190\/win-e-open-new-tab-in-explorer\/#The_problem\" >The problem<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/48190\/win-e-open-new-tab-in-explorer\/#AutoHotley_script\" >AutoHotley script<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/48190\/win-e-open-new-tab-in-explorer\/#Create_executable_file\" >Create executable file<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_problem\"><\/span>The problem<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Microsoft has finally built tab support into Windows Explorer. The key combination CTRL + T now opens a new tab, as long as you are in Explorer. But how can a new tab be opened when Explorer is not active? The key combination &#8220;Windows + E&#8221; opens the Explorer, but it always opens a new window.<\/p>\n<p>In this article we will look at how to open the Explorer with the key combination &#8220;WIN+E&#8221;, but if it is already open, a new tab is to be created.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AutoHotley_script\"><\/span>AutoHotley script<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To solve the problem, we use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autohotkey.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AutoHotkey<\/a>. AutoHotkey is a script language for Windows, I have been using it for a long time, e.g. for <a href=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/8567\/textbausteine-mit-autohotkey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">text modules<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If the software is not yet installed, we can get it from the homepage. Version 1.1 is the right choice for our script. Version 2.0 also works in principle, but requires the additional installation of version 1.1. Both versions also work in parallel.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"603\" height=\"362\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-48159\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_1.jpg 603w, https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_1-300x180.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 603px) 100vw, 603px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The actual script looks like this:<\/p>\n<pre>#e::\r\n{ if WinExist(&quot;ahk_class CabinetWClass&quot;) {.\r\n\tWinActivate\r\n\tSend +{F6}\r\n\tSend ^t\r\n} else {\r\n\tRun, explorer.exe\r\n}\r\nreturn<\/pre>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/Windows11\/comments\/yqjnvp\/autohotkey_script_that_opens_a_new_explorer_tab\/\">Script was written by a Reddit user<\/a>. The script checks whether Explorer is already running, if not, it is started. If it is running, the window is <a href=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/62776\/activate-num-key-numlock-permanently\/\" title=\"Activate Num key (NumLock) permanently\">activated and the key<\/a> combination for a new tab is sent to the window.<\/p>\n<p>For the script we create a file, e.g. &#8220;explorer.ahk&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"607\" height=\"289\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-48163\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_2.png 607w, https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_2-300x143.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 607px) 100vw, 607px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>By right-clicking, we can now start the script, either &#8220;Open&#8221; or &#8220;Open with&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"706\" height=\"192\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-48167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_3.png 706w, https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_3-300x82.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 706px) 100vw, 706px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The icon should now appear in the tray.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"165\" height=\"137\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-48171\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We can then use the key combination &#8220;WIN + E&#8221;. A new tab will then be opened if Explorer is already running. If you want to use a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autohotkey.com\/docs\/v1\/Hotkeys.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">different key combination<\/a>, you can specify this instead of &#8220;#e&#8221; at the beginning. The hash stands for the Windows key.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"172\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-48175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_5.png 550w, https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_5-300x94.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Create_executable_file\"><\/span>Create executable file<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To use the script permanently, we can also create an executable programme from it. We can call up &#8220;Compile Script&#8221; via the context menu.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"581\" height=\"209\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-48179\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_6.png 581w, https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_6-300x108.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 581px) 100vw, 581px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>An .exe file is created. We can now simply start it and, for example, put it in the <a href=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/48154\/startup-folder-in-windows-11\/\">autostart<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_7.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"398\" height=\"204\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-48183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_7.png 398w, https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ah_explorer_7-300x154.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 398px) 100vw, 398px\" \/><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Explorer in Windows now has tabs. How can I open a new tab with the Windows key and E?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14984,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1555],"tags":[1558],"class_list":["post-48190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-software-en","tag-windows-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48190"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48190\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14984"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ekiwi-blog.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}