Windows 7: Any way to disable auto-arrange and sorting?

Guitardude · 23 Apr 2009

Are there any registry tweaks I could do to turn off the auto-arranging and sorting in explorer? I need to be able to rearrange my files in any order I want to by dragging them around. This is the biggest annoyance so far with Win 7. I can do this on the desktop, so why can't I do this in the folders?

Ru5ty · 21 Jul 2009

This might work for you, but its not exactly the same. Right click somewhere in the folder select sort by then click on more. Check "Date accessed" and click ok. Select Date accessed in the sort by menu and click on ascending. It will kind of work for you if you like having the files you extract at the end of the list. If you extract a folder it will show up at the bottom of all the folders. Hope this helps!

zaqlow · 26 Oct 2009

This chap has a way of disabling auto arrange but you may need to print it out and have lots of spare time ..

Microsoft Foiled Again... I'm love it

follow the link

Windows Explorer Auto Arrange - Disable

supsup · 14 Jun 2010

Is there any other ways that don't involve editing the registry (im not confident/comfortable) yet with editing Windows 7 registy since ive only just installed it.

Thorsen · 14 Jun 2010

I thought maybe a third party app would work, but none found.

Registry is your best bet. There is a Tutorial on this forum if you do decide to try. If you do, back up your registry and create a restore point in system restore.

Auto-arrange - solved?

supsup · 15 Jun 2010

Thankyou it worked perfectly, was scared it might screw up something but all is better than before!

Finally I can arrange folders/file how I (THE USER, the OWNER of the computer!) want them to be sorted, not how MS wants it done.

tecsys · 01 Oct 2012

I have got a very simple solution. Just right click and select "Group By" and select (None), the problem is sorted out.

Windows 7: Any way to disable auto-arrange and sorting?

Any way to disable auto-arrange and sorting? problems?