Some Windows 11 users were convinced that a change to File Explorer was a bug, but Microsoft has confirmed that this is not the case.
Microsoft’s latest update to Windows 11 introduced a number of changes. One of them may have surprised some users: the addition of a noticeable black border around selected files and folders in File Explorer.
The change was marked by Windows Latestwho pointed out that the issue occurs in File Explorer’s light mode and that some users found it so disruptive that they reported it to Microsoft as a bug in the July 2024 Cumulative Update (KB5040442).
Windows Latest has reached out to Microsoft to verify whether this was a glitch or an intentional move, and the company has responded to clarify that this is not a bug, but an intentional change to improve accessibility for users. In other words, the idea is to make it easier and clearer to see what is currently selected in File Explorer.
For those who aren’t too keen on this interface tweak, Microsoft has also said that Windows 11 users will always Submit feedback on the issue via the Feedback Hub.
A choice is good, as always…
Personally, I agree that this design change looks a little odd compared to the rest of the Windows 11 UI. Previously, selected files and folders were highlighted with a blue border, which many people (myself included) preferred. Making it black increases the contrast and makes your selection stand out more in File Explorer, which can be very useful for accessibility – but it would still make sense to have this as an optional change. Then if you find it distracting you can turn it off, but if the black highlighting serves you well, then that’s fine.
Perhaps we’ll see Microsoft introduce a toggle to adjust the option in the Settings app in the future. Maybe we’ll even get a toggle to disable some of the ads that have been appearing more and more frequently in Windows 11 (not likely).
Please note that the July Cumulative Update comes with a number of important issues, including: an unexpected BitLocker recovery screen are appearing and causing concern among Windows 11 users.
