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JettStone's avatar
JettStone
Iron Contributor
Mar 17, 2026

What old Windows features are hidden in Windows 11?

I upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and found the old Windows 10 File Explorer is still hidden inside. What other legacy features from older Windows versions are hidden in Windows 11?

 

2 Replies

  • Hassanui's avatar
    Hassanui
    Brass Contributor
    Mar 20, 2026

    As you noticed, the classic Windows 10 File Explorer interface can sometimes be accessed via specific settings or tweaks, but it’s generally integrated into Windows 11’s modern Explorer.

  • Charlie34000's avatar
    Charlie34000
    MCT
    Mar 18, 2026

    Windows 11 still contains several legacy components for compatibility reasons. Some are hidden, others only appear in specific scenarios.

    A few examples:

    • Legacy Control Panel pages Many settings still open classic CPL modules (Power Options, Network Adapter settings, System Properties).
    • Windows 7/8-era dialogs Open/Save dialogs, some COM-based property sheets, and older credential prompts still exist.
    • Classic File Explorer components Even though the shell is modernized, parts of the Windows 10 Explorer remain for compatibility with older shell extensions.
    • MMC snap-ins Tools like Device Manager, Disk Management, Event Viewer or Services still rely on the MMC framework introduced in Windows 2000.
    • Old-style context menus The “Show more options” entry exposes the classic Win32 context menu.

    Windows keeps these components because many enterprise tools, installers and shell extensions still depend on them. Over time they’re being replaced, but they remain part of the OS for now.