Windows Explorer Auto Arrange - Disable

How to Disable Auto Arrange in Windows 7 Explorer to have Free Sorting​

   Information

In Windows 7, auto arrange is enabled by default so that all file and folder names in Windows Explorer are sorted alphabetically no matter what folder view you used.

This is basically like having how you can arrange icons how you like on your desktop in every folder in Windows Explorer now.

This will show you how to disable Auto Arrange in Windows 7 to be able to sort your files and folders in any random order and position you like in each opened folder in Windows Explorer and in the Pin to Start Menu area at the top of the Start Menu without it having to be sorted alphabetically by name. Windows 7 will also remember these random folder sortings (order and position), and open as how they were when the folder window was last closed.

   Note

When You Disable Auto Arrange:

• While using Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, Small Icons, and Extended Tiles folder views, you can arrange files/folders in any random order and position.
• While using Details folder view, you can only arrange files/folders in any order and not in any random position.
• While using Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, Small Icons, and Extended Tiles folder views, you can click on View (Menu bar) and check Auto arrange to have the black indicator line back inbetween files/folders when arranging files/folders in any order. This turns off the ability to arrange files/folders by random positions though.
• While using Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, Small Icons, and Extended Tiles folder views, you can click on View (Menu bar) and uncheck Auto arrange to be able to arrange files/folders in any order and random positions.
• The Auto arrange and Align to grid options can be turned on and off at will in the View (Menu bar and right click context menu) when available (not grayed out) while using Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, Small Icons, or Extended Tiles folder views.
• If you have items arranged by random positions and switch from a Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, Small Icons, and Extended Tiles folder view to a List, Details, Extended Tiles, or Content folder view, the random positions will be reset but still placed in a order of arrangement instead.
• If you unzip a file in a folder, move a folder, or rename a folder, it will refresh and auto arrange the files in that specific folder only after each time you do this. Auto arrange is still disabled for that folder, but you will need to arrange the files back to whatever non-auto arranged order you like again after unzipping a file in a folder, move a folder, or rename a folder.

   Warning

DO NOT USE this tutorial in any other OS than Windows 7.

• While this tutorial will allow you to disable auto arrange in the main Libraries folder itself, it will not disable auto arrange in any of the other library folders (ex: Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos).
• Free sorting is not available if you use "Group by" folder views instead of only "Sort by" folder views.
• Free sorting is not available in the List and Content folder views.
• When you disable Auto Arrange, you will have Extend Tiles folder view instead of Tiles available in all folders except the Computer windows.

EXAMPLE: Auto Arrange Enabled and Disabled
NOTE: Notice in the screenshot with Auto Arrange disabled, the files can be dragged around the Windows Explorer window to sort how you like without having to be in alphabetical order.

OPTION ONE

To Disable Auto Arrange in Windows 7 Windows Explorer

   Warning

It is also recommended to create a restore point before doing this option in case you would like to undo any unwanted unknown side affects that OPTION TWO may not undo. This way, you could also do a system restore with this restore point to undo this option completely.

1. Click on the Download button below to download the BAT file below.
Disable_Windows_7_Explorer_Auto_Arrange.bat

Download


2. Save the .bat file to your desktop.

3. Close everything that you have running first, then run the downloaded .bat file.

4. If prompted, click on Run.
NOTE: If you like, you can stop getting the Run prompt by unblocking the downloaded .bat file.

5. You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt open as the explorer process is restarted.

6. Let the command prompt count down to finish on it's own without pressing a key.

7. When it's finished, you will see the Computer window open.

8. Auto arrange in Windows Explorer is now disabled.

OPTION TWO

To Enable Auto Arrange in Windows 7 Windows Explorer

NOTE: This is the default setting.
1. Click on the Download button below to download the BAT file below.
Enable_Windows_7_Explorer_Auto_Arrange.bat

Download


2. Save the .bat file to your desktop.

3. Close all opened explorer windows first, then run the downloaded .bat file.

4. If prompted, click on Run.
NOTE: If you like, you can stop getting the Run prompt by unblocking the downloaded .bat file.

5. You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt open as the explorer process is restarted.

6. When it's finished, you will see the Computer window open.

7. Auto arrange in Windows Explorer is now enabled again.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Back Up and Restore Your Folder View Settings in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Disable Auto Arrange in Vista Windows Explorer to have Free Sorting
• Make Windows 7 Start Menu User Folder Buttons Open to Users Instead of Libraries Location
• How to Enable or Disable Numerical Sorting in Windows Explorer
• How to Reset All Folder View Settings to Default in Windows 7
• How to Reset the Folder View Settings for All Folders with Same Folder Template in Windows 7
• "Apply to Folders" a Specific Folder View to All Folders with Same Folder Template in Windows 7
• How to Change a Folder Template in Windows 7
• How to Set a Default Folder Template for All Folders in Windows 7
• How to Change the File and Folder View Arrangement in Windows 7 Explorer
• How to Change the Icon Size in a Windows 7 Explorer Window
• How to Change the Group by, Sort by, and Arrange by Folder View in Windows 7 Explorer
• How to Set a Default Folder View for All Folders in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove Windows Explorer Columns
• How to Change the Width of Columns in Windows Explorer
• How to Enable or Disable Start Menu Auto Arrange by Name in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Arrange Folders Included in a Library in Any Order in Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[NaWaR]

I noticed something else
NOT only change the folder name will make files auto arrange, but also if I change any sub-folders name of the the files path.

example:-
Design < Photoshop < CS5 < Beginner < (orange file, apple file, banana file)

If I change the name of any sub-folders or move it, files auto arrange.

 

[Brink]

Moving added to the note.

 

[CJW]

Question for Brink:
I haven't tried this just yet & I will regardless of answer, but I'm curious. Why use Reset...reg 1st & THEN Disable...reg when Disabling is what I am going for in the 1st place?

 

[Brink]

Hello CJW,

Without resetting the folder views first, it will usually not work.

 

[CJW]

It works great!

I used the Disable...reg (w/o 1st using Reset...reg) & now I can arrange as I see fit. Also; I was able to take pic 100, drag it next to pic 25, close the folder & once I went back into the folder, my rearranging was kept!

Thanks for this & all your tips/tricks/tweaks!

 

[Brink]

That's great news CJW. I'll do some more testing with only the disable..reg to see if we can shorten the steps a bit.

 

[Brink]

CJW,

What order did you use for the steps using only the Disable....reg file? I can't get this to work for me unless I use the Reset...reg file as in the tutorial.

 

[brownie]

Thank you! The auto arrange feature is easily the most annoying feature of Windows 7, and you've fixed it for me, thanks again.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Brownie, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[CJW]

Sorry for the delay in replying, comfuser went down & had 2 format & reinstall 7 Pro. 64Bit.

As per your question Brinks; I have my picture folders set to Large Icons sorted by Name & Ascending. Then I just used the posted Disable Auto Arrange.reg file. Seems to even be working just fine on my portable drive.

 

[Brink]

CJW,

Sorry to hear that.

Not sure why you can. I just can't it to work unless all steps are followed in the tutorial.

 

[CJW]

OOppsss, my bad. There was another thing I did.

At 1st, the Reset then Disable steps didn't work to my liking; changed my Computer view & I couldn't get it back the way I want it. So, this is what I did:

1. Opened the Reset.reg file in notepad
2. Opened the registry to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell
3. Deleted the Keys Bags & BagMRU
4. Used the Disable registry tweak & now all is fine.

 

[Brink]

CJW,

Ah ok. That's basically almost doing the same as using the Reset....reg file, but the .reg file does a more thorough and proper reset to make sure that nothing might interfere with the disable.....reg.

Thank you for posting back with this.

 

[CJW]

Yeah, but the problem I had using the Reset.reg is that it changed 1 thing I couldn't get back.

Normally, when I click Computer from the Orb menu, the drives would look as they are in the attached pic ...

But when I used the Reset.reg, this would be set to List view, sorted by Name & Ascending. The Tile view selection was replaced by Extended Tile view & is not what I wanted.

But I do thank you for the .reg files.

 

[Brink]

CJW,

Strange, that should not happen if step 6 was done before using the disable reg. It should look just like your screenshot above.

 

[Forwox]

Thank you for this tutorial. I got one question. Can I disable auto arrange only for one folder? (maybe it is explained here, but I just didn't saw)

 

[Brink]

Hello Forwox,

Sorry, but this will affect all folders and cannot only affect one.

 

[Forwox]

Hello Forwox,

Sorry, but this will affect all folders and cannot only affect one.

Ohh, okay. Actually it's a little strange, but anyways, thanks.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

 

[mcm1969]

Hello, neither fix worked for me, even after following the steps very carefully. Any ideas? Not being able to sort files the way I want them to is super annoying and a huge error on Windows 7 part.