How to Set Up and Use PowerToys New+ in Windows 11 to Create Custom File and Folder Templates

When starting a new project in Windows 11—such as creating a client invoice, drafting a meeting agenda, scaffolding a new web development directory, or organising a photographic shoot—users typically spend minutes manually creating empty subfolders, copying boilerplates, and renaming template documents. While Windows has long included a basic “New” context menu option in File Explorer, it offers limited flexibility, creating only bare empty files with no pre-configured folder hierarchies or boilerplate content.

To modernise this routine, Microsoft added New+ to the official open-source Microsoft PowerToys utility suite. New+ integrates a dedicated templates engine directly into the File Explorer right-click context menu. You can define personalized templates containing pre-filled documents, complex directory trees, code boilerplates, and configuration files. With a single right-click anywhere in File Explorer, New+ copies and instantiates your entire template hierarchy instantly. This comprehensive tutorial explains how to enable New+, configure your templates repository, create complex folder boilerplates, and use New+ in your daily workflow.

What Is PowerToys New+ and How Does It Function?

Unlike the legacy Windows “New” menu that requires editing arcane Windows Registry keys (ShellNew) to add file types, PowerToys New+ operates using a simple, transparent local folder system:

• Full Directory Tree Scaffolding: While standard Windows menus can only generate a single blank file, New+ can generate complete multi-level folder trees (e.g., Client/Assets/Drafts/Invoices/) with pre-populated starter assets.
• Boilerplate Document Support: Populate template files with headers, styling, boilerplate legal text, formulas, or markdown frontmatter that persist upon creation.
• Native Explorer Integration: Appears directly inside the modern Windows 11 context menu as well as the classic full context menu (Shift + F10).
• Effortless Template Management: Adding, updating, or deleting templates simply requires dragging files into a standard local folder on your computer.

How to Enable PowerToys New+ on Windows 11

Ensure you have Microsoft PowerToys version 0.84 or later installed on your Windows 11 system (available via the Microsoft Store or winget install Microsoft.PowerToys).

1. Open the PowerToys Settings dashboard from your Start menu or system tray.
2. In the left-hand navigation menu, click New+.
3. Toggle the master switch for Enable New+ to the On position.
4. Review the option labelled Hide filename extension (keep this enabled if you prefer clean template titles without .docx or .md extensions in your context menu).
5. Review the option labelled Hide starting digits (allows you to prefix template folder names with numbers like 01_, 02_ to control alphabetical menu sorting without showing those digits in File Explorer).

How to Create and Organise Your Custom Templates

PowerToys stores all template definitions inside a dedicated folder located in your personal user profile:

Step 1: Open the Templates Folder

1. In the PowerToys New+ settings panel, click the button labelled Open templates.
2. File Explorer will open the template directory located at:

   %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\NewPlus\Templates

Step 2: Add Single File Templates

To create a reusable document template:

• Create your pre-formatted document (for instance, a Word document with company letterhead, an Excel expense report with pre-built formulas, or a Markdown template for meeting notes).
• Save or copy this file directly into the Templates folder.
• Name the file cleanly (e.g., Meeting Notes.md or Client Invoice.xlsx).

Step 3: Add Complex Multi-Folder Scaffolding

To create a multi-folder starter package for projects or photography:

1. Inside the Templates directory, create a new folder named New Web Project (or 01_Web_Project).
2. Inside that folder, build your complete starter structure:
   • src/
   • assets/images/
   • docs/
   • README.md (pre-filled with project boilerplate)
   • .gitignore

Whatever you place inside this folder will be cloned completely whenever you invoke New+.

How to Instantiate Templates Using File Explorer

Once your templates are placed in the folder, using them is effortless:

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the directory where you want to start a new project.
2. Right-click in any empty space within the folder window.
3. Hover over or click New+ in the context menu.
4. A cascading list of your configured templates will appear.
5. Click your desired template (for example, New Web Project or Meeting Notes).
6. File Explorer will immediately clone the template, instantiate the files and subfolders, and highlight the name so you can rename it immediately.

Managing and Customising Template Order

To keep your New+ menu tidy as your library grows:

• Submenus: Create subfolders inside the Templates directory (such as Office Docs/, Development/, Design/). New+ will render these as clean cascading submenus in the right-click menu.
• Numeric Sorting: Prefix items with numbers (e.g., 1_Invoice, 2_Contract). With “Hide starting digits” enabled in PowerToys Settings, your menu items appear in your exact preferred sequence without displaying the numerical prefixes.

Troubleshooting Common New+ Issues

If New+ does not appear in File Explorer:

• Restart File Explorer: Open Task Manager, locate Windows Explorer in the process list, right-click it, and select Restart to refresh shell extensions.
• Permission Issues: Ensure your user profile has read and write permissions to the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\NewPlus\Templates directory.