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 gtpraveenkumar, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Strange, but I'm glad to hear that you got it sorted. Thank you for posting back with your results.

 

[rabbitrp7]

I applied this, and it appears to work fine, as advertized. That's super! (I want my XP back!) But it didn't solve the problem I was really trying to fix: Windows Live Photo Gallery/picture viewer: I want the "next" button to show the next picture - as it is sorted in the folder. But it always shows the next alphabetical entry. 'Same thing with Slideshow.
Have I got a different problem? or am I doing something wrong?

 

[Brink]

Hello Rabbit, and welcome to Seven Forums.

After I disable auto arrange, Windows Live Photo Gallery shows them in the order I've arranged them when I click on the Next button.

If you make any changes to the arrangement of the images, then you will need to close Windows Live Photo Gallery and reopen it by clicking on one of the images in the folder to have Windows Live Photo Gallery display them in the new order.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[rabbitrp7]

"Free sorting" does work. I've made several tests.
But still no on the Windows Live Photo Gallery problem. I've tried restart(s) & clearing the thumbnails cache. No matter what I do, the "next' button shows the next alphabetical file.

 

[Brink]

Are you opening Windows Live Photo Gallery directly from the image in the folder after arranging them how you like them?

In addition, this cannot be from in a library folder. It will not work from them.

 

[rabbitrp7]

yes, I navigate to the specific folder (not a 'library' folder, and not by way of there), double-click an image; hit "next" in Windows Live Photo Gallery, and the next alphabetical file shows up. I've tried different folders, different sorts...same results.
Is there a possibility "ShellFolderFix" (1.1.4, folder size & position) is causing some sort of conflict? (This was the first "fix" I applied to Win7 - trying to get my XP functionality back.)

 

[Brink]

Could be. As a test, uninstall it, then redo this tutorial to see how it works afterwards.

 

[rabbitrp7]

well, that was frustrating...
I did a 'clean' uninstall of ShellFolderFix (including deleting database, settings); cold restart. Then I did a complete re-do of this tutorial.
But... same end: I can 'free sort" folders; it works beautifully (Thank You!). But, Windows Live Photo Gallery still refuses to do anything other than alphabetical!
Now I have to re-install ShellFolderFix & re-set where & how big I want certain folders to open.
Who at Microsoft thought that re-sizing, re-positioning, re-sorting and changing the view - of every folder you open, every time you open it - was productive?!
I need to get back to 'real' work, but I don't want to give up on this. Do you have any further suggestion?

 

[Brink]

I'm not sure why it's not working for you. As a test, you might create a new user account, and see how it works while logged on to it.

 

[rabbitrp7]

nope.

 

[Brink]

How about with the built in Windows Photo Viewer instead?

 

[rabbitrp7]

'Sorry to say, but same thing with Windows Photo Viewer.

 

[Brink]

I must admit that I'm stumped as to why Windows Photo Viewer will not "Next" in the order that you have them arranged in.

 

[rabbitrp7]

I'm stumped, too. I'm about to give up.

 

[rabbitrp7]

I've tried everything... Check this: If I copy a bunch of pictures to a new folder; manually 'sort' that, and open a slideshow with that stupid ribbon button - my sort is preserved. But NOT so for double-click, next; and NOT so for opening from Live Gallery or Picture Viewer. And this only works for copies, not the original folder.

I've spent far too much time on this. It seems trivial, but my method of sorting and editing (lots of) photos depends on being able to view them in 'date modified' (or reverse) order.

This workaround is a little buggy to me, so I'm going to undo it. 'No offense? I sincerely appreciate your help & work, and I'm SO glad I found sevenforums.

I'm going to re-train myself to open EVERY folder with the same format, in the same place, in the same view, in the same sort; and open pictures one-at-a-time - until I get my new Mac!

 

[Brink]

Rabbit,

No offense taken. I just do not know why my Windows Photo Viewer will display them in any order that I arrange them after using this tutorial, and your's does not.

 

[boohbah]

Rabbit ,try using faststone image viewer, you can arrange the photos in any order you like ,and it has a slideshow. not a fix but a good alternative workaround. plus it has a ton more features than windows live gallery has.
set your pics to open with faststone and you will soon forget it was ever a problem.

FastStone Image Viewer - Powerful and Intuitive Photo Viewer, Editor and Batch Converter

 

[rabbitrp7]

Thanks. FastStone works nice. I've used Irfanview before, too.
But why do we have to keep getting 3rd-party software, patches and reg edits to get Widows 7 to do what it should?
I really regret "upgrading" from XP.

 

[Brink]

Rabbit,

I'm happy to hear that FastStone works for you for that.

Windows 7 Windows Photo Viewer does display the images in the order that they are arranged in with auto arrange disabled by default for me, so I'm not sure if something on your system may be preventing it from working for you using Windows Photo Viewer.

 

[shipmate]

auto arrange

Hello , I 'm new here , but I have found very usefull tips here as a guest , so thank you for that.
I have just got a new computer and found that I couldn't move files inside the same folder
I tried to install update KB2559049 but it failed several times, even DL it manually. This morning , windows was again nagging me to install it and because I switched to auto update , I thought to give it one more go.
I restarted my computer and again , the update failed. I cleaned my computer with Advanced system care and spybot and after that went in search again for the auto arrange problem.
I needed to look up a file on my external HDD and without thinking I moved one of my media files. To my surprise , it moved ! It didn't spring back and when I tried other disks , internal and external , it still worked. Also, moved files stayed in that place when I opened their folder again. When I changed the view from big icons to small and to detail , it still worked

Now , I know the update can't have anything to do with it , nor spybot or ASC , but that 's about the only thing I did with my computer , apart from browsing. Only changed from manually update to automatic update for windows.

I haven't used the drop down menu for arranging files yet , afraid I might somehow turn the auto arrange back on.

If someone has a similar experience , or maybe can tell me how this happened , I 'm all ears.