Windows 11's File Explorer is testing a small shortcut that Linux and macOS users will recognise: typing a tilde, the ~ character, in the address bar opens your user profile folder. The feature is part of Insider Experimental build 26340.9596 for version 26H2, released on October 2 as KB5124193 (Eleven Forum, Pureinfotech).
How the shortcut works
Typing ~ and pressing Enter takes you to your profile folder, the one that normally sits at C:\Users followed by your account name. It also accepts sub-folders (Windows Report):
| Type in the address bar | Opens |
|---|---|
| ~ | Your user profile folder |
| ~\Downloads | Downloads |
| ~\Documents | Documents |
| ~\AppData | Application data (hidden by default) |
| ~\AppData\Local and ~\AppData\Roaming | Local and roaming app data |
The AppData folder is hidden by default and is a common stopping point for troubleshooting, since settings and caches live there. A short way to reach it saves several clicks and removes the need to turn on hidden files. It also sidesteps a quirk of Microsoft accounts: Windows often builds the profile folder name from the first letters of the account's email address, so the folder under C:\Users may not match the user's display name (WinCentral).
Where it is available
The feature is not in the stable version of Windows 11. It sits in the Experimental channel, where Microsoft tests features that may change or disappear before reaching regular releases, so there is no guarantee the shortcut will ship. Windows Latest expects it within weeks, which is that outlet's prediction; Microsoft has given no date. The same build adds Unicode 17.0 support and a Cloud Rebuild entry under Settings, System, Recovery.
Other File Explorer changes
Windows Latest lists several other changes in the preview. Sorting and icon-size preferences will persist between sessions, and the address bar will accept paths whether or not they are wrapped in quotation marks, removing a common annoyance when pasting a path copied from another program. The outlet also reports that modern Properties dialogs with dark mode support are coming, and that searching in This PC will use the Windows indexer. Microsoft has not confirmed which of these will reach the general release.
Why a tilde matters
The shortcut is minor, but it reflects a steady push to make File Explorer more convenient for people who type paths. Developers and IT staff, who already use the notation in terminals, are the most obvious beneficiaries. Windows has had environment variables such as %USERPROFILE% for decades, and those still work, but they are longer to type and less familiar to people coming from other systems.
What it means for ordinary users
Most people use File Explorer by clicking and will notice little. Those who type into the address bar get a shorter way to open the profile and its sub-folders. Trying it now requires joining the Windows Insider programme's Experimental channel, with the usual risk of instability, so most users are better off waiting for a stable release.
What to watch next
Watch for the shortcut to move to the Beta channel, which usually precedes a stable release, and whether the other File Explorer changes arrive with it.
