Folder Options - Open

How to Open Folder Options in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you the various methods of how to open the Folder Options window in Windows 7.

   Note

Folder Options can change the way files and folders function, as well as how the content in folders are displayed.

​

EXAMPLE: Folder Options

OPTION ONE

To Open Folder Options in the Control Panel

NOTE: The Apply to Folders option will be grayed out unless you open Folder Options (Method Two or Method Three) from within the same Windows Explorer window that you want to have applied to the other folders that have the same folder template.
1. Open the Control Panel (icons view).

2. Click on the Folder Options icon.

OPTION TWO

To Open Folder Options in Windows Explorer Organize Button

1. Open a Windows Explorer window.

2. Click on the Organize button. (See screenshot below)

3. Click on Folder and Search Options.

OPTION THREE

To Open Folder Options in Windows Explorer Tools Menu

1. Open a Windows Explorer window.

2. Click on the Tools (ALT and ALT+T) Menu bar item. (See screenshot below)

3. Click on Folder Options.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Create a Folder Options Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Change or Restore the Default Windows 7 Search Options
• How to Show or Hide All Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Folder Options in Vista or Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove Default Items from Folder Options "View" Tab in Windows 7 and Vista

 

[wguru]

If there's some 'globality' for using methods two or three, as opposed to possibly only changing folder options for 'whatever group one might be in' when using method one, disclosing this might be helpful.

 

[Brink]

Hello Wguru,

Could you be a bit more specific on what you mean??

 

[wguru]

I believe that Windows 'folders options' (Vista and W7) may now be keyed to 'folder groups' (My Documents, My Videos, etc.).

I was curious if your article's context also applies to that aspect of 'folder options', ie; while accessing folder options in any of those manners, are cerain manners specific to folder groups, ref. 'globality'?

 

[Brink]

Wguru,

I'm sorry, I may be dense today, but I'm still not catching what you mean by folder groups, or group that you are in. Do you mean standard vs administrator?

The Folder Option settings are global only in the user account that they are set in. The exception is the "Apply to Folders" options using METHOD ONE instead of the other methods.

 

[wguru]

No problem. Thanks for sticking with me.

As I understand it, Vista and Windows 7 platforms 'inovated' the Windows folders by 'grouping' them.

In that the tutorial simply defines differing ways of accessing 'folder views', I'm just asking if there's any meaningful purpose for Windows so affoding three ways to access folder views.

As such, I'm left wondering if because post XP users now "set their preferred folder view" (doing so in a given folder group), eg; the "My Videos" group, as opposed other grouped folders like "My Documents", "My Pictures", etc., and the user's preferred folder view thereafter pertains to but that one 'group' of folders.

Again, since there may be some meaningfulness in how one accesses 'folder views', I'm curious if one methond over the other two, may or may not set 'all folder groups' as opposed to one group.

Maybe I'm using the wrong term, there, but you should get the gist of it.

So again, 'if' there's some 'globality' (group wise) for using (the tutoria's) methods two or three, as opposed to possibly only changing folder options for 'whatever group one might be in' (when using method one), disclosing it might be helpful.

 

[Brink]

Ah, ok.

I have a NOTE box under Step One to let folks know that you will not be able to "Apply to Folders" if Folder Options is opened through the Control Panel instead of from within the Windows Explorer window. For more details on this though, this may help.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11356-folder-view-apply-all-folders.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/41198-folder-view-set-default-all-folders.htmlhttp://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3918-folder-template-change.html

 

[Strikerboy]

Hi my dear friends. I'm from Iran and I don't know English well.
I have a question about "Folder Options" page.
I think a virus affect my PC and my Folder Options.but its not the virus brontok.
however seems my Anti Virus has detected the virus and cleaned it.
before this i couldn't view my Folder Options.but now i can. but it appears like the image below:

Namely the categories of Folder Options does'nt show up.And all of
lines are in on category.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Brink]

Hello Strikerboy, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Using the tutorial below to enable Hidden files and folders may be able to restore this option for you.

Hidden Files and Folders Option - Add or Remove - Vista Forums

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Strikerboy]

Realy thanks for your help Mr.Shawn.
this topic solved my problem.again thank you.
Arash

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Arash.

 

[logicearth]

... I used the 'Organize | Layout | Navigation Pane (turn it off so there is only one pane) and that step changes all other folders including Windows Explorer.

So how do we setup one folder with unique properties?

Also how can we turn off the address bar and or the Organize bar in just one folder?

The Navigation Pane, the Address Bar, the "Organize bar" are elements of Windows Explorer's properties not folder properties. Therefore, you can not do what you want.

 

[RangermanLV]

Ok here is a new problem.....I just got Win7 Pro 64bit. I was reading in here about how to get the other regional Themes to show up in the personalization options. So for one of the steps you need to go turn on hidden files and folders. Ok no problem i'm a computer tech and i've done that tons of times on WinXP Pro.

Now I understand that the way windows handles folder options is a bit different now especialy in regard to the idea that folder settings, even if you use "Apply to Folders" which of course used to be "Apply to ALL Folders". So I want to see hidden and system files on my C: so I can goto the folder it talks about in getting the other localization themes. And of course sure enough it's there, I proceed and everything is happy.

So imagine my surprise when I close out back to the desktop and I am now seeing two "desktop.ini" hidden system files on my desktop now. I did not select "Apply to Folders" in any of these instances however it seems like the view option of "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" and the check-box for "show protected operating system files" both propagate to all Windows Explorer views on the system, weather you want them to or not. I have so far tried selecting the options for Opening each folder in it's own window, and Launching folder windows in a seperate process as both those options I know have been used before to help gain control over what is or isnt shown in any one individual folder, but neither of these seemed to work.

any ideas here? I like to be able to see all files and folders on my computer to see if there is anything extra being hidden from me in other folders and installations besides the OS itself, but I don't like having the greyed out system files showing up on my desktop view.

 

[Brink]

Hello Rangerman, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The two Desktop.ini files are hidden protected OS files. You would just need to do step 5 in OPTION ONE in the tutorial below to hide them again, and still see the other hidden system files.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/394-hidden-files-folders-show-hide.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[RangermanLV]

Hello Rangerman, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The two Desktop.ini files are hidden protected OS files. You would just need to do step 5 in OPTION ONE in the tutorial below to hide them again, and still see the other hidden system files.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/394-hidden-files-folders-show-hide.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Well actually not unfortunately. I don't think you fully understood what I was asking. Before Win7 (and i'm assuming maybe also Vista, never used it, saw it a few times and it looked like junk) there was a way and/or windows by default would save your folder view options for ALL options displayed in the "Folder Options" box for EACH FOLDER YOU MODIFIED ONLY, UNLESS You told windows in the Folder Options box you wanted to use those view options for all folders on the computer.

Now however these view options I am specifically interested in are propagated to ALL folders viewed in explorer WEATHER I WANT THEM TO BE OR NOT. I want ALL folders on my computer to be able to show hidden files and folders and protected system operating files because many programs and viruses and such tell windows that they should be shown as hidden files and folders and/or also try to use the file tag of a protected operating system file as well.

Basically to post this in a nutshell, I want to be able to set folder options to show hidden files and folders and protected system operating files on the entire computer EXCEPT for the desktop and unfortunately there is no way to do this with the Folder Options box as anytime you select or deselect either of these options it is propagated to the entire computer weather I want it to be or not. I was able to do this up to WinXP, now with Win7 I cannot for some reason because of the changes to how the Folder Options box works in the system.

 

[Brink]

Sorry, but there is no way to unhide all hidden files everywhere except on the Desktop. It's a all or none setting.

 

[RangermanLV]

Ok thanks anyways. It seems kind of silly of them to change that. As there used to be an option in Folder Options to save the settings for each folder you opened Folder Options on individually. Well maybe i'll pester Microsoft about it and see if they can fix it. I hate having to go turn off and on the two options whenever I want to see something because half the time I actually notice new things since it's on already and then go "Hmmm...what is that new system file/hidden file/folder.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hiyya Shawn just found the one click icon start doing my son's gamer for him - how good is that - thanks again

 

[Brink]

Hello John,

Yeah, I like to use the single click to open option as well.