How do you select non consecutive files in a folder to copy and paste?

audiodrome · 06 Jun 2016

I have categorized folders of thousands of pictures and every once in a while I need to sort through and certain files for a specific project. The way I've been doing this is to select one file at a time or if there happens to be a consecutive run of pictures I can grab the whole group and then copy and paste.

Is there a way to select one file and then select another file three files away and then another file ten files away? In other words highlighting and selecting non consecutive files to copy and paste. I'm thinking that Windows must have the capability to do this and I just haven't found the trick yet. Every time I do a search online all I find are instructions on how to select consecutive files.

strollin · 06 Jun 2016

Yes, press and hold down the Ctrl key, then select all the non-consecutive files you wish. Once selected you can then copy & paste or drag & drop them to wherever you wish.

Alejandro85 · 06 Jun 2016

Select the first file/group and hold control then click the next one, or drag a box to select a second group. Control key allows to select more items without lose the already selected ones, which may or may not be consecutive.

This technique works in pretty much every list in Windows that allows multiple selection.

ThrashZone · 06 Jun 2016

Hi,
Using check boxes to select items is the best way I've seen
Little more forgiving than ctrl.

How do you select non consecutive files in a folder to copy and paste?-add-check-boxes.jpg

mitchell65 · 06 Jun 2016

ThrashZone said:

Hi,
Using check boxes to select items is the best way I've seen
Little more forgiving than ctrl.

Learnt something new today. Didn't know you could show tick boxes against files

. Much the best way and easy to configure.Thanks, ThrashZone.

strollin · 06 Jun 2016

I only find the check boxes useful on a touchscreen device like a tablet. If I have a mouse and keyboard Ctrl and the mouse works better for me.

Barman58 · 06 Jun 2016

You can also use the shift key with the mouse to select consecutive items - Click first item then Shift-Click last item - this an be repeated by using Ctrl-Click to start a separate selection and Ctrl-Shift-Click to end the selection.

Also as these key combinations are toggles if you wanted to select all except a few items you could use a Shift-Click, (or Ctrl-A) to select all then Ctrl-Click the items you want deselected.

Barman58 · 06 Jun 2016

@audiodrome

If you are dealing with a lot of photos you may find that a specific photo management app may be more to your needs than file explorer

Take a look at Adobe Bridge It?s True: Adobe Bridge CC Is Completely Free for Everyone, for Life! | ProDesignTools which will allow you to select images for projects by use of many of the internal Metadata tags in the files, you can even make collections to store often used sets while not actually moving the files

RolandJS · 06 Jun 2016

ThrashZone said:

Hi, Using check boxes to select items is the best way I've seen. Little more forgiving than ctrl.

I had click boxes awhile when I first got Windows 7. Completely did away with that feature after getting into deletion trouble because in my Windows the click boxes were "sticky."

ThrashZone · 06 Jun 2016

Hi,
Yea using check boxes is so items don't get deselected in case you click on something accidentally like to scroll or if you loose focus on the window the check marks stay checked and you don't have to start all over again :)

I only use check boxes if I know I have to scroll a lot to get to the next ones.