Windows 7: Expanding the downloads folder in Windows explorer

just made the transition from Win2000 to seven with this new computer, there are a number of things I am having trouble with.

In Windows Explorer there is no way to expand the download folder (there is no little triangle to click) in the left hand pane, I am used to sorting files in the download folder by dragging them to their appropriate folder in the left pane, if there is a way to expand that folder in the left pane I haven't figured it out, thanks.

Try right clicking in the Navigator pane (left pane) and setting the options found there to your liking.

If there are no folders in the download folder - there is nothing to expand.

thank you, I have tried this and right clicking in a empty place in the left pane gives me two check boxes: "show all folders" and "expand to current folder" Right clicking on the folder itself gives a context menu, including "properties" I have played around with that and tried every possible option and nothing will make that folder expand. And there are a dozen or so sub folders within the download folder.

There should be a triangle for you to click.

Hmmm, perhaps we're speaking of different things. The Favorites section and folder contain shortcuts. The computer section displays an explorer tree.

You need to expand the folder in the computer section - shortcuts don't have the capability.

An image of your explorer might help.
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That's a good point.

Perhaps this tutorial could help: Folder Options

Search for the "Navigation Pane"=> (tick the box) "Show all folders"

Or/and

=>"Automatically expand to current folder".

Thanks for the help, yes I figured out that the icons on top (favorites) are merely shortcuts, and I need to dig through the computer tree to get to the download folder. I'm a bit confused why you would want to open the download folder without full functionality, seems that "favorites" section is just taking up space.

It depends on how you save your downloads.
I assume that a lot of people just dump stuff there (just like files on the Desktop).

It's handy for times when you are doing multiple operations (i.e. opening and saving files) to a folder buried in your directory tree.
You can just "pin" the target folder in "Favorites" and open the folder with a single click, instead of having to navigate to it every time.
When you're finished, you just remove it from "Favorites".

Mike,

This is probably just a Windows 7 learning curve. I have only been on Windows 7 since March 2012. I felt the same way when I started - sheesh! everything is so weird - why did MS do that?

Anyway, after a month or so, I figured out that Windows 7 wasn't all that bad - I had to adjust (old dog.... new tricks...). I'm fairly comfortable with it now - having spent the time figuring out that the right mouse key does a lot more than it used to, and a few other nuanced changes.

Search Sevenforums tutorial section for an answer - there's lots of good work there. I found this post that links a few of them. You might be more interested in removing favorites and Libraries than the other so that the explorer tree is top most.

Changing the target in the explorer shortcut can also manipulte the navigation pane.

%windir%\explorer.exe /e,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

makes the focus go directly to the explorer tree - it doesn't add or remove any objects - just changes the initial focus.

Edit: huh... took my own advice and found a tut on what I found elsewhre on the web - gee, didn't have to go searching out there after all.

Maybe your needs would be satisfied by putting

%UserProfile%\Downloads

in the explorer shortcut - that puts the initial navigation pane focus on downloads.

Good hunting,

Bill
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