Adjusting Folder and Search Options
If you really want to take control of File Explorer and your computer's file system, spend a few minutes choosing folder and search options. Choose File, Change Folder and Search Options or View, Options (clicking the main part of the Options button, not the drop-down button) to display the Folder Options dialog box, and then get to work.
Note:
You'll notice that the options in the Folder Options dialog box overlap with some of the options on the Ribbon, even though some of the individual names vary somewhat. When there's overlap, you can use whichever means of giving a command you find most helpful.
Selecting the Right General Options for Your Needs
You'll want to explore all the options on the General tab of the Folder Options dialog box, because they make a huge difference in your use of File Explorer.
Start by clicking the Open File Explorer To drop-down menu and choosing what each new File Explorer window you open should show. Your choices are Quick Access or This PC.
Tip:
You can't choose a specific folder in the Open File Explorer To drop-down menu. If you need to open new File Explorer windows to a particular folder, create a shortcut to that folder and place it somewhere convenient, such as on your desktop.
In the Browse Folders box, select the Open Each Folder in the Same Window option button or the Open Each Folder in Its Own Window option button, as needed. If you need to browse deep into the file system, Open Each Folder in the Same Window is usually the better choice, because Open Each Folder in Its Own Window will leave a trail of windows cluttering the screen.
In the Click Items as Follows box, choose the effect of mouse clicks, which this list explains in reverse order for clarity:
- Double-Click to Open an Item (Single-Click to Select):
Select this option button for normal Windows behavior: You click an item to select it, and you double-click an item to open it. - Single-Click to Open an Item (Point to Select):
Select this option button to turn on the alternate mode, in which you point at an item (without clicking) to select it and click an item to open it-like clicking a link in a web page to open it. This behavior can be faster than the normal Windows behavior, but you might find it takes a while to get used to. If you choose this option, you can choose when to underline icon titles-select the Underline Icon Titles Consistent with My Browser option button or the Underline Icon Titles Only When I Point at Them option button.
In the Privacy box, you can check or uncheck the following two check boxes as needed:
- Show Recently Used Files in Quick Access:
Check this check box to make the Quick Access view display files you've used recently. This can be handy for quick access to files, but you may want to turn it off if you prefer not to have these files displayed (for example, for discretion). - Show Frequently Used Folders in Quick Access:
Check this check box to make the Quick Access view display folders you use frequently. As with the previous setting, having these folders displayed can be handy, but you may prefer to turn off this option.
Tip:
You can click the Clear button in the Privacy box on the General tab of the Folder Options dialog box to clear your File Explorer history. You might want to do this to prevent private or sensitive files or folders from appearing in the Quick Access view.
Configuring View Options
On the View tab of the Folder Options dialog box, you can manipulate a wide range of advanced settings. You can also apply your current view to all folders of the same type.
To apply the current view to folders of the same type, set up the active File Explorer window with the view you prefer. For example, after navigating to a folder of the appropriate type, you might choose View, Layout, Details to switch to Details view, and then use the controls in the Current View group on the View tab of the Ribbon to customize the columns displayed. Then choose View, Options (clicking the main part of the Options button, not the drop-down arrow) to open the Folder Options dialog box, click the View tab, and then click Apply to Folders. Windows displays the Folder Views dialog box to confirm that you want all folders of this type to match the current folder's view settings; click Yes to apply the change.
Note:
If you don't like the effect of the folder view you applied, click Reset Folders in the Folder Views box. Again, Windows displays the Folder Views dialog box to confirm the move; again, click Yes to effect the change.
In the Advanced Settings box, you can adjust the following settings:
- Always Show Icons, Never Thumbnails:
Check this check box to display icons for files rather than thumbnails, small pictures of the files' contents. Displaying icons is faster than generating thumbnails, so you might want to use this setting if your computer isn't the fastest. - Always Show Menus:
Check this check box to make File Explorer always show menus in the interface rather than hiding them when they're not available. This setting doesn't have much effect in File Explorer windows that use the Ribbon because the Ribbon tabs and the File menu remain visible anyway. But if you check the Always Show Menus check box and click Apply and then open a Control Panel window, you'll see that the menu bar appears instead of being hidden until you press Alt. - Display File Icon on Thumbnails:
Check this check box to make File Explorer display an icon indicating the file type in the lower-right corner of a document thumbnail. For example, if you have created a Word document and saved a thumbnail preview for it, File Explorer shows the thumbnail with a Word icon on the lower-right corner.
Note:
To save a thumbnail preview of a Word document, you check the Save Thumbnail check box in the Save As dialog box. If you want thumbnail previews for all documents, open the Properties dialog box for an open document (on Windows), click the Summary tab, and then check the Save Thumbnails for All Word Documents check box; on the Mac, open the Save preferences and check the Save Preview Picture with New Documents check box. - Display File Size Information in Folder Tips:
Check this check box to include the file size in the ScreenTip that appears when you hold the pointer over a folder. Calculating the file size makes your computer work a fraction harder, so if you don't find the size useful, uncheck this check box. - Display the Full Path in the Title Bar:
Check this check box to make File Explorer show the full path (such as C:\Users\Maria\Pictures\Best Pics) in the window's title bar instead of just the folder name (such as Best Pics).
Tip:
Displaying the full path in the title bar is especially helpful if you work with standardized folder structures. For example, say you work with projects, and each project folder contains a folder named Documents, a folder called Spreadsheets, and a folder called Presentations. Displaying the full path enables you to identify the windows you need more quickly. If all your folders have unique names, you probably don't need to display the full path. - Hidden Files and Folders:
Select the Don't Show Hidden Files, Folders, or Drives option button if you don't want to see hidden items; this is the default setting. Select the Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives option button when you want to see these items. - Hide Empty Drives:
Check this check box if you want File Explorer to hide any drives that are empty. This setting works on optical drives (so that when there's no DVD in it, the optical drive doesn't appear) and removable drives such as USB flash drives.
Caution:
The Hide Empty Drives feature can cause plenty of confusion, especially when you plug in a USB flash drive that happens to be empty but that you don't know is empty. For clarity, uncheck the Hide Empty Drives check box -and tuck this feature away in your mental troubleshooting toolbox for when someone complains that Windows won't recognize a USB flash drive. - Hide Extensions for Known File Types:
Check this check box to hide file extensions for file types that are registered in Windows. For example, after you install Microsoft Word, its various file types are registered, so Windows knows that (say) the .docx file extension is associated with the Word Document file type. Because the file type is registered, File Explorer windows don't show the .docx file extension, just the document name. - Hide Folder Merge Conflicts:
Check this check box if you want Windows to merge folders without warning you. A merge conflict occurs when you copy or move a folder to a destination that already contains a folder of the same name. Instead of overwriting the existing folder with the incoming folder, Windows merges the contents of each folder into a single folder. If you uncheck this check box, Windows displays the Confirm Folder Replace dialog box when a merge conflict occurs; you can then click Yes to merge the folders or click No to stop the operation.
Tip:
If your work (or play) includes projects that use a standard set of folders (such as a project folder containing Documents, Presentations, and Receipts subfolders), uncheck the Hide Folder Merge Conflicts check box to make sure that Windows warns you when you drag a folder to the wrong project.
Note:
Even if you check the Hide Folder Merge Conflicts check box, Windows warns you about file merge conflicts-when a copy or move operation will cause one file to overwrite a file of the same name. - Hide Protected Operating System Files (Recommended):
Leave this check box checked (as it is by default) to hide the Windows protected operating system files. These are files marked System and Hidden to stop you from messing with them. Normally, you won't need to change the protected operating system files; if you do, uncheck this check box, and then click Yes in the Warning dialog box that Windows displays, acknowledging that you are aware that deleting or editing the files may make your computer stop working. - Launch Folder Windows in a Separate Process:
Check this check box if you want Windows to open each folder in a separate area of the computer's memory. This feature is turned off by default because it may reduce your computer's performance, but it can make Windows run more stably.
Tip:
Check the Launch Folder Windows in a Separate Process check box if your computer has plenty of RAM and normally runs well. Launching folder windows separately from each other can help you avoid crashes that freeze the desktop and force you to restart your computer. If you find that your computer slows down after you turn on this feature, turn it off again. - Restore Previous Folder Windows at Logon:
Check this check box if you want Windows to automatically open at login the same folders you were using when you logged out. This can be a great time-saver for picking up where you left off. - Show Drive Letters:
Check this check box to make Windows display drive letters (such as C: or D:) as well as drive names (such as Local Disk or DVD Drive). - Show Encrypted or Compressed NTFS Files in Color:
Check this check box to make File Explorer display encrypted files in green characters and compressed files in blue characters instead of black characters. - Show Pop-Up Description for Folder and Desktop Items:
Check this check box if you want Windows to display a ScreenTip (also called a ToolTip) containing information when you hold the pointer over an item. For example, when you hold the pointer over a file in the Recent Files list, the ScreenTip shows Path: and the folder path to the file. - Show Preview Handlers in Preview Pane:
Check this check box if you want to view previews in the Preview pane. Previews can help you identify the files you need, but because displaying previews can sap your computer's performance, you may want to turn them off. - Show Status Bar:
Check this check box to display the status bar at the bottom of each File Explorer window. The status bar displays information such as the number of items in the current folder or other container and the file size of the selected item. Usually, the status bar is helpful unless you need every square inch for displaying other information. - Use Check Boxes to Select Items:
Check this check box if you want Windows to display a check box on each item as you hold the pointer over it. - Use Sharing Wizard (Recommended):
Check this check box to make File Explorer use the Sharing Wizard for sharing items (such as folders). The Sharing Wizard simplifies the process of sharing, but you can uncheck this check box if you prefer to control sharing manually. - When Typing into List View:
Select the Select the Typed Item in the View option button if you want to be able to "type down" to select an item: You start typing its name, and File Explorer selects the matching item as soon as you've typed enough to identify it. Select the Automatically Type into the Search Box option button if you want any characters you type to go into the search box instead.
In the Navigation Pane settings at the bottom of the Advanced Settings list, you can check or uncheck the following three check boxes as needed:
- Expand to Open Folder:
Check this check box to make File Explorer automatically expand the Navigation pane showing the path to the open folder. This setting is usually helpful. - Show All Folders:
Check this check box to display all the folders in the Navigation pane when you open a window. If you have a screen big enough for large File Explorer windows, or you prune the list of items in the Navigation pane to fit your window size, this setting is useful, because it saves you from having to expand items all the time to reach the ones you need. - Show Libraries:
Check this check box to display libraries in the Navigation pane. If you work with libraries much, you'll probably want to use this setting.
Tip:
You can set the three Navigation Pane settings more easily from the Ribbon: Choose View, Panes, Navigation Pane to open the Navigation Pane dropdown menu, and then click Expand to Open Folder, Show All Folders, or Show Libraries, placing or removing a check mark next to the appropriate item.
Configuring Search Options
On the Search tab of the Folder Options dialog box, you can choose a few options to configure searching.
In the How to Search box, you can check the Don't Use the Index When Searching in File Folders for System Files (Searches Might Take Longer) check box if you're searching for a system file and can't find it. Normally, you'll want to leave this check box unchecked.
In the When Searching Non-Indexed Locations box, you can check or uncheck these three check boxes:
- Include System Directories:
Check this check box to include system folders in searches of locations that are not in the search index that Windows keeps. - Include Compressed Files (ZIP, CAB, ...):
Check this check box if you want to search through compressed files, which Windows normally excludes from searches. Searching through compressed files takes longer, so you'll probably want to uncheck this check box unless you keep files in compressed files.
Note:
ZIP is a widely used standard for compressed files. CAB files are cabinet files, a compressed format used by Microsoft mostly for distributing Windows files. - Always Search File Names and Contents (This Might Take Several Minutes):
Check this check box if you need to be able to search by the contents of files as well as by their names. Searching through file contents can take a while, so normally it's best to leave this check box unchecked unless your searches aren't turning up files that you know are there.
When you finish choosing settings in the Folder Options dialog box, click OK to close it.
Finding the Files and Folders You Need
To find the files and folders you need, you can search in File Explorer. Follow these steps:
- Open a File Explorer window. For example, click File Explorer on the Taskbar.
- Navigate to the folder from which you want to start the search. The more you can narrow down the area you're searching, the fewer irrelevant results you'll need to wade through.
- Click in the Search box below the right side of the Ribbon. The Search Tools tab appears on the Ribbon.
- Type your search term or terms.
- In the Location group, make sure the right item is selected. Normally, you'll want All Subfolders to search the current folder and all its subfolders. If you want to restrict the search to the current folder, excluding its subfolders, click Current Folder. If you need to widen the search to your computer's entire file system, click This PC.
- In the Refine group, specify any constraints needed to refine the search. You can click Date Modified and specify a date range, such as Yesterday or This Week; click Kind and select the file type, such as Folder, Picture, or Task; click Size and specify the approximate size, such as Tiny (0-10 KB) or Huge (16-128 MB); or click Other Properties and then choose a property appropriate to the file type, such as Tags or Date Taken for a photo or video.
- In the Options group, you can click Advanced Options to display the Advanced Options drop-down menu. You can then click Change Indexed Locations to change the locations that Windows indexes for searching. Alternatively, you can enable or disable the options on the In Non-Indexed Locations part of the Advanced Options drop-down menu: File Contents, System Files, or Zipped (Compressed) Folders.
By this point, the File Explorer window should be displaying the items you need. If not, you'll need to go back and change the location, your search parameters, or both.
