The Cluttered Desktop Boot
Windows 11 includes a feature designed for continuity, attempting to remember exactly what you were doing before you shut down your PC. If you leave several File Explorer windows open and then restart your computer, Windows 11 will aggressively try to automatically reopen all of those specific folders the moment you log back in. While some users appreciate jumping straight back into their workflow, many find this behavior incredibly intrusive, as a fresh boot should ideally present a clean, empty desktop, especially if you are logging in to perform a completely different task.
Starting with a Clean Slate
To ensure your PC boots to a completely empty desktop and to stop Windows 11 from automatically reopening your previous File Explorer windows, you must disable the folder restore option within the File Explorer settings.
Open any File Explorer window. Look at the top ribbon menu and click the three horizontal dots (See more) located at the far right edge. From the dropdown menu, select Options. A small “Folder Options” dialogue box will appear on your screen. Click on the View tab located at the top of this box. Scroll down through the “Advanced settings” list until you find a checkbox labelled Restore previous folder windows at log-on. Ensure this checkbox is completely unchecked. Click the Apply button, and then click OK. From now on, regardless of how messy your workspace is when you shut down, Windows will always provide a clean, uncluttered desktop upon your next login.