Browse SharePoint in Windows Explorer

Have you ever wanted to browse your SharePoint 2010 site in Windows Explorer? If you are in SharePoint 2007 please upgrade to something a little more modern. In all seriousness, in SharePoint 2007 you could click on the Actions menu and then select Open With Windows Explorer. Simple. Easy.
Fast forward to SharePoint 2010. The button is gone, but it’s not really gone.
There are many reasons why you may want to browse a SharePoint site in Windows Explorer.

  • Drag and drop interface
  • Multi-select
  • Move multiple items quickly
  • Navigate around complex sites quickly

Luckily the button may not be around in the same way it was before, but you still have very easy access to the same functionality. Just open up a document library and expand the ribbon at the top of the screen if it is hidden. Switch over to the Library tab and find the button on the right half of the screen that is labeled Open With Explorer.
Here is what the button looks like when you have a little less room and the text is not visible:

SharePoint2010ExplorerViewSmall

And here is the full button:
SharePoint2010ExplorerViewLarge
Enjoy!

About the author

Bradley Schacht

Bradley Schacht is a Principal Program Manager on the Microsoft Fabric product team based in Jacksonville, FL. Bradley is a former consultant, trainer, and has authored 5 SQL Server and Power BI books, most recently the Microsoft Power BI Quick Start Guide. As a member of the Microsoft Fabric product team, Bradley works directly with customers to solve some of their most complex data problems and helps shape the future of Microsoft Fabric. He frequently presents at community events around the country, is a contributor to sites such as SQLServerCentral.com, and is a member of the Jacksonville SQL Server User Group (JSSUG).

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Bradley Schacht

Bradley Schacht is a Principal Program Manager on the Microsoft Fabric product team based in Jacksonville, FL. Bradley is a former consultant, trainer, and has authored 5 SQL Server and Power BI books, most recently the Microsoft Power BI Quick Start Guide. As a member of the Microsoft Fabric product team, Bradley works directly with customers to solve some of their most complex data problems and helps shape the future of Microsoft Fabric. He frequently presents at community events around the country, is a contributor to sites such as SQLServerCentral.com, and is a member of the Jacksonville SQL Server User Group (JSSUG).

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