Show Full Path in File Explorer Title Bar via Registry

This article explains which Windows Registry entry controls the display of full folder path strings in the Windows File Explorer title bar. You will learn the exact registry key, the value name, and the step-by-step instructions to enable or disable this feature using the Registry Editor (Regedit).

The Registry Entry

The display of the full path in the title bar is controlled by the following registry location and DWORD value:

• Registry Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState
• Value Name: FullPath
• Value Type: REG_DWORD (or REG_SZ in legacy Windows versions)
• Value Data:
  • 1 = Display the full path in the title bar
  • 0 = Display only the current folder name (default)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open the Registry Editor: Press Windows Key + R, type regedit in the Run dialog box, and press Enter.

2. Navigate to the Key: Paste the following path into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor window and press Enter:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState

3. Create or Modify the Value:

   • If the FullPath entry already exists in the right pane, double-click it.
   • If FullPath does not exist, right-click an empty area in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it FullPath.

4. Set the Value Data:

   • Enter 1 in the Value data field to show the full directory path in the title bar.
   • Enter 0 to restore the default setting.
   • Click OK to save the changes.

5. Apply the Changes: Restart the explorer.exe process via the Task Manager, or log out and log back into your Windows user account for the changes to take effect.