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

 

[Brink]

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.

Hello MCM, and welcome to Seven Forums.

What are you seeing instead?

What folder/path are you testing this in?

 

[mcm1969]

It simply won't move a file (large icon view) to where I drag it, it will snap back to its original configuration immediately. The folder is your basic Libraries/Documents/My Documents/File X/Subfolder Y, Windows Explorer.

 

[Brink]

MCM,

Ah, that would be why. You will not be able to disable Auto Arrange in any of the Libraries locations.

You can arrange them how you like from the C:\Users\(user-name) folders location after applying the tutorial though.

 

[mcm1969]

Brink,
Thanks for your replies. I just tried it in while not in a "Library" folder, and it does work. So, thanks. This begs the question, though -- what is the use for the "Library" locale and folder system versus My Documents (which is also contained in Libraries), etc.? Thanks again.

 

[Brink]

Library locations are handled differently than normal folders or user folder locations.

Libraries are basically just a share point that let you access items from one or more included folders quickly without moving them from their original locatation. Libraries themselves don't store your files or folders. Instead, they point sort of like a shortcut to different folders on your hard disk, or on an external drive attached to your computer. This gives you easy access to a category of files no matter where they are stored. Since these included folders in a library is a collection point instead of a normal folder, you are not able to disable auto arrange at this library location, while you are still able to at the actual original folder location.

 

[mcm1969]

Brink,
Thanks for the info. Excellent work. Thank you.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome MCM.

 

[rkf76]

I noticed this the other day but I thought it was an external hd issue, guess not. I'll def be doing this mod!

 

[Brink]

Hello Rkf76,

Please let us know how it went.

 

[rkf76]

Hello Rkf76,

Please let us know how it went.

I followed the instructions in post #1 and it worked like a charm!

Thanks man

 

[Brink]

That's great news.

 

[retspag]

I tried it and seems to work perfect!

I can’t tell you how pissed off I was when I found out I couldn’t drag and drop files and folders where I wanted.

But now that’s all just an unpleasant memory!

 

[Brink]

Welcome to Seven Forums Retspag.

 

[retspag]

Thanks.

I’m not sure if it’s related to implementing this, but I just noticed something;
on some folders I can’t change the “folder picture”. (right click folder\properties\customize)

Could this be related?


added later: It’s (probably) not related my parents’ PC has the same problem with folders.

 

[Brink]

Retspag,

It shouldn't have any affect on that, but what's the full path location of these folders? I'll do some testing to see if I see the same or not.

 

[retspag]

Like I said my parents’ windows 7 PC does it too, and No tweaks or registry modifications have been done to it, So I highly doubt it has anything to do with it either.


Certain folders (seemingly at random) don’t display their contents, and you can’t choose a picture for them either.

Everywhere where folders are there are some that do it, it’s not restricted to just one area.

From the documents folder, to the desktop to external drives and everywhere else.

 

[seawitch]

Thankyouthankyouthankyou for this fix

To say I was annoyed when I found I couldn't arrange folders as I wanted would be an understatement, but now I can

Goodness knows what Microsoft thought they were doing when they stopped giving users the choice of doing this!

 

[Brink]

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

 

[TeeDoubleUDee]

Not working as I expected?

Hi there, I have applied the registry changes as per above but it doesn't work as I expected. I can drag a file to a different part of the list and it will stay there even after closing and re-opening the folder OK. But if I rename a file and click on the next one the newly renamed file jumps into it's new alphabetical place. I want to go down a list of files renaming each in turn without them moving - is this not possible? It certainly worked that way under Win XP.
TWD

 

[Brink]

Hello TWD, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Sorry, but as per the NOTE at the top of the tutorial, the rename issue has not been worked out yet. You can still rearrrange the files afterwards how you like, but Windows 7 will still auto arrange them after a rename for some unknown reason so far.