Can't you replace the desktop environment anymore? I remember there used to be explorer replacements and Microsoft even told you how to go back to progman.exe.
As of Windows 10, UWP apps aren’t usable without explorer.exe actively running; window contents don’t update to match frame size changes. So the answer is surprisingly kind of no, unless you want to commit to never using “modern” apps, or manually opening file explorer every time you do.
Of course some would say that not being able to use UWP apps is an enhancement, not a bug.
