Configuring Files to launch with the Win E shortcut (without the need of AutoHotKey)

You can configure Files to launch using the Win + E shortcut (without AutoHotKey) as follows:

.vbs script

First create a VBScript script file that calls the File app:

WScript.CreateObject("Wscript.Shell").Run "C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:AppsFolder\49306atecsolution.FilesUWP_et10x9a9vyk8t!App"

Save this script in a directory of your choice, e.g. "E:\Tools\Files\Files.vbs".

Registry

Now add the following to your registry entries to override the default Win + E shortcut (adapt the path of the .vbs script if necessary)*:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\shell\opennewwindow\command]
@="wscript.exe \"E:\\Tools\\Files\\Files.vbs\"
"DelegateExecute"=""

No restart is required.

*There is no default registry entry, so you won't override anything (unless you already had another association)

Use Explorer, but open it to a custom location by default

see: https://www.elevenforum.com/t/change-folder-to-open-file-explorer-to-by-default-in-windows-11.675/#Three

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\shell\OpenNewWindow\command]
@="Explorer \"C:\\Windows\""
"DelegateExecute"=""

You can also use a CLSID, e.g.:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\shell\OpenNewWindow\command]
"DelegateExecute"=""
@="explorer \"::{04271989-C4D2-02F2-959A-90D7DC104377}\""

W

indows Registry Editor Version 5.00[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\shell\OpenNewWindow\command]

@="explorer \"::{04271989-C4D2-02F2-959A-90D7DC104377}\"""DelegateExecute"=""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}]@=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\ 00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,00,\ 68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,32,\ 00,32,00,30,00,36,00,37,00,00,00"MUIVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\ 6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\ 00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,\ 2d,00,33,00,37,00,34,00,31,00,31,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\InProcServer32]@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\ 00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,\ 65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\shell]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\shell\open]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\shell\open\command]"DelegateExecute"="{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\shell\OpenNewWindow]"MUIVerb"="@shell32.dll,-37411"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{52205fd8-5dfb-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}\shell\OpenNewWindow\command]@="explorer \"::{04271989-C4D2-02F2-959A-90D7DC104377}\"""DelegateExecute"=""