Open and switch Explorer tabs

Keep several locations or file-view configurations open by giving each one its own Explorer tab. An Explorer tab is a center tab that browses one location and owns its navigation, selection, and view state.

Open a new Explorer tab

Choose the + button in a tab bar, or choose New Tab from the Command Bar. The new Explorer tab opens at the end of the target tab group and becomes active. The default shortcut is Command+T on macOS and Ctrl+T on Windows and Linux.

Where the tab begins depends on New Tab Behavior in Settings:

• Use Default Directory opens the configured Default Directory, or your system home folder when no directory is configured.
• Duplicate Current Tab opens the current Explorer location in a new tab. Despite its name, this setting copies only the location; it does not copy navigation history, selection, or file-view state.

To change this preference, see Choose new-tab and folder defaults.

You can also middle-click a folder or location in the Navigator panel to open it in a new Explorer tab. This explicit new-tab gesture always creates another tab instead of reusing an existing one.

Switch and reorder tabs

Select a tab to make it active. The active Explorer tab receives navigation, selection, and file commands.

• Ctrl+Tab switches to the next tab in the active tab group and wraps after the last tab.
• Ctrl+Shift+Tab switches to the previous tab and wraps before the first.
• Command+1 through Command+9 on macOS, or Ctrl+1 through Ctrl+9 on Windows and Linux, switch by position in the active tab group.

Drag a tab along its current tab bar to change its order. Moving tabs between groups or creating split views belongs to Create tab groups and split views.

Each Explorer tab keeps its own current location, history, selection, and active file view. When you return to a hidden Explorer tab, Phials catches its folder up from disk so it does not need to keep every hidden location under continuous watch.