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To reduce the space between files and folders in Windows 11 File Explorer, open File Explorer > View > Compact view. Select Compact view again to turn it off. This is a spacing setting, separate from view types such as Details, List, Tiles, or Large icons.
Turn Compact view on or off from File Explorer
- Open File Explorer.
- Select View on the command bar. If you are already in a folder, open its View menu.
- Select Compact view.
The command is a toggle: selecting it enables reduced spacing; selecting it again restores the standard spacing. Microsoft describes Compact view as reducing the space between files. It affects the listing area, not the Explorer window size, icon size, or desktop icon grid. Microsoft’s File Explorer guidance documents this current Windows 11 path.
Check whether the change took effect
- Look at the vertical gap between adjacent items in a folder with enough files or folders to make the difference easy to see.
- If the change is subtle, switch temporarily to List or Details, where row spacing is easier to compare.
- Close and reopen File Explorer to check whether the preference persists.
There is no published fixed pixel reduction. The visible difference can vary with display scaling, text size, view type, and Windows build.
Use the Registry if the menu option is unavailable or unreliable
Prefer the File Explorer toggle for an ordinary change. Registry editing is an advanced fallback. The setting is stored for the signed-in user under HKEY_CURRENT_USER; it does not automatically change the setting for every account on the PC. Microsoft Q&A and Windows configuration references identify the value below, although Microsoft’s main support instructions focus on the graphical toggle rather than documenting this as a formal support workflow. Microsoft Q&A and ElevenForum’s registry guide describe it.
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Before changing the registry, export the relevant key or create a restore point. Close File Explorer windows first, and do not substitute HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE for the current-user location.
- Press Windows + R, type
regedit, then select OK. Approve a User Account Control prompt if one appears. - In Registry Editor, go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced. - Find the
UseCompactModevalue. Set its DWORD data to1to enable Compact view or0to disable it, then select OK. - If
UseCompactModeis absent, right-click an empty area in the right pane and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name itUseCompactMode, open it, enter1or0, and select OK.
A 32-bit DWORD is the value type used for this setting, including on 64-bit Windows. If the layout does not update, restart File Explorer as described below.
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Set the value with Command Prompt or PowerShell
These commands write the same current-user registry value; they are not separate Windows features. Use a regular Command Prompt or PowerShell window for the signed-in account you intend to change.
Command Prompt
Enable Compact view:
reg add "HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced" /v UseCompactMode /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /fDisable Compact view:
reg add "HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced" /v UseCompactMode /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /fMynavi’s Windows 11 example also shows the reg add approach.
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PowerShell
Enable Compact view:
New-ItemProperty `
-Path "HKCU:SoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced" `
-Name "UseCompactMode" `
-PropertyType DWord `
-Value 1 `
-ForceDisable Compact view:
New-ItemProperty `
-Path "HKCU:SoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced" `
-Name "UseCompactMode" `
-PropertyType DWord `
-Value 0 `
-ForceRestart File Explorer if the layout does not refresh
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Find Windows Explorer in the process list.
- Right-click it and select Restart.
Restarting Explorer is a practical refresh step, not a requirement on every Windows build. Signing out and back in or restarting Windows are alternatives.
Troubleshoot a missing option or little visible change
If Compact view is missing
- Make sure you are using Windows 11 File Explorer, not a legacy file dialog or another file manager.
- Check the View menu; do not rely only on older Windows 10 instructions for Folder Options.
- Install pending Windows updates and restart, then check the menu again.
- Try another folder and another view type.
- If you used the registry method, verify the exact path and that
UseCompactModeis a DWORD with the intended value, then restart Explorer. - If the setting works in another Windows account, the issue is likely specific to the original profile.
On a work or school PC, organization policy may restrict access to Folder Options. Microsoft documents policies that can prevent Folder Options from opening; that does not establish that the policy itself disables Compact view. See the Windows Explorer Policy CSP or contact the device administrator.
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If Compact view is on but rows still look spacious
Compact view reduces spacing within the current Windows 11 interface; it does not promise to reproduce Windows 10’s exact row height or density. Microsoft’s description promises reduced space, not identical dimensions. A Microsoft Q&A discussion reports that some padding may remain even with UseCompactMode set to 1; that explanation is from an independent advisor, not a formal Microsoft engineering statement. Check the selected view, display scaling, and Windows text size, then compare again. Touch-optimized behavior on a convertible device and changes after a Windows update are also possibilities to investigate, not confirmed universal causes. A Microsoft Tech Community user report describes spacing changes associated with text scaling, but it is anecdotal.
What to expect on a PC with multiple accounts
The graphical control changes the active user’s preference, and the registry location is under HKEY_CURRENT_USER. If several people share a PC, check the setting while signed in to each account. Changing one user’s value does not configure every profile; administrators deploying a common preference need a management or profile-deployment approach appropriate to their environment.
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