On version 20H2, the File Explorer on the taskbar often shows an active window with an Edge tab

[adrianghc]

On the Windows beta channel (version 20H2, build 19402.450), the File Explorer on the taskbar often shows an active window with an Edge tab. Clicking the explorer icon or the thumbnail that shows the Edge tab switches to that tab in Edge. Closing the tab makes the thumbnail disappear from the File Explorer icon and replaces it with another Edge tab. This can be repeated until all tabs have been closed, but at some point later this behavior will start again. This is surely related to the new feature where Alt + Tab works for Edge tabs, but I have that disabled and it's a bug in any case. Switching desktops seems to trigger this behavior very often, though not always. I'm running Edge Beta 85.0.564.30.

[#2]

Actually, we pay microsoft to be beta tester hahaha

[#3]

@BeldarConehead Search for Tab Hover cards in flags now, disabling fixed it for me.

[#4]

was still seeing this on 21H1 and edge v92

but @chadbrack's workaround "fixed" it for me too - thanks for this!

EDIT: nevermind - it crept back after a short while exactly like the OP describes.

[#5]

@adrianghc 

How to Fix Edge Tabs Showing Up at Random in Taskbar as File Explorer (binaryfork.com)

Worked for me.

Open edge://flags

Find the "Browser tab experiences in Windows"

Then disable the feature and restart Edge.

However, you'll no longer be able to use ALT-TAB to switch between Edge most recent tabs

[#6]

The solution does not work!
If there is more than one Edge window the bug comes back.
This flags just disables by default the creation of a new Edge window if there is already one.

[#7]

@TheDarkgg 

Odd, it really worked for me.

I use multiple Edge windows as well multiple windows across at least 3 other virtual desktops.

Check if you're running the latest version as well as restarting.

[#8]

Update for everyone! In the latest stable (91), the flag ''Browser tab experiences in Windows'' is not longer available. To activate it, first you have to activate the flag ''#temporary-unexpire-flags-m90'', restart, and then desactivate #edge-window-tab-manager. 

Cheers, 

[#9]

Now I understand better! The bug appeared with the latest version of Edge (v91).
The flags had disappeared!
Thanks for your help.

[#10]

Bam - that did it for me.

[#11]

I think this has work for me too, Cheers and thanks

[#12]

Thank you for providing another fix to an issue that Microsoft not only won't fix themselves but have actually broken the original workaround for.

[#13]

There is also a bug report in the Microsoft Community: Bug: Edge Tab Icons Showing as Folders in Taskbar

I posted an summed up answer there and linked to this thread.

[#14]

Just chiming in--I'm still having this and have been for a while now. I'm on 21H1.

[#15]

Thanks for that. Worked for me.

[#16]

Bug still present. Their programmers must be working on making the News and Interests popup permanent instead.

21H1

Version 91.0.864.64 (Official build) (64-bit)

[#17]

@jsgrrchg Thank you, thank you! After your solution, it appears to be fixed, at least for now. This issue was so annoying!

[#18]

@adrianghc I just want to add my voice to those experiencing this issue. I actually noticed it on my laptop first, after I had attempted to update advanced power settings and my display went crazy (ghost windows, unable to open Task Manager, missing sections of open windows, no right-click menu visible but options still clickable, etc.!) until I restarted the computer, so I put it down to whatever gremlins got in at that point. But I just noticed it again on an until-now unaffected computer. It's nice to know I'm not imagining things.

[#19]

Helpfully, as of version 93 the ability to unexpire version 90 flags has been removed. There is now no way to get around the issue of Edge tabs piling up as File Explorer windows whenever I switch virtual desktops, which is unbelievably frustrating. What's more frustrating is it seems we're no closer to a fix than we were a year ago when this issue was first reported. Back to Chrome I suppose?

[#20]

@banjoboy96 "Search for Tab Hover cards in flags now, disabling fixed it for me."

[#21]

@TheDarkgg 

Looks like I've already got tab hover cards disabled, I imagine I've attempted this fix before :( so no luck there I'm afraid!