How to set custom folder view for 1 folder

Okay so here's a stupid problem to have. I'm on Windows 10 Pro.

I have the folder view for all my folders to be "Large icons." But I have one folder where I want "Medium icons" view. And I set it on Medium view, but then every few hours or days it goes back to Large icons. And I'm not sure what causes it to happen.

But what causes it to happen doesn't matter. There has to be a way to make it fixed, set, no change, stay the way I set you forever. Some registry edit or some 3rd party program or some method has to exist.

I did google for it, trying many different keyword combinations, but it seems google is full of results showing you how to set the default view for all folders. I know how to do that, but that's not what I need. I need to be able to set a default view for 1 folder that is different than my default view for all my other folders. And I also need this to be Permanent, not to change every few hours or days or after a restart.

I don't really care how deep into windows I have to go to do it. Registry edits, whatever it takes. I would even be willing to install a 3rd party program (as long as it's free) if I have to, as long as I get this fixed.

Any ideas how I can do this?

Thank you :)

Thanks for the reply, but that's not what I need. I need to set 1 folder to a different view than the rest, and make it stay like that.

On the one hand I feel like what I'm asking shouldn't be that hard to do. On the other hand, I'm having so little luck finding anything even remotely related to my need on google.

The third-party solution was just a thought. I was almost sure that there is a native Windows solution for this. You know, open regedit, find this, change this, edit this, click this, done

There has to be a way though. A more simple thing has never been asked in the history of the internet. There has never been a more simple demand than mine here.

Seriously though, come ooon. It's the view. There's gotta be a solution.

Folders should 'remember' their view settings - try a search for 'bagMRU' to learn about what is going on, and how it can go wrong (Windows can get overloaded). One can remove all memory of folder views, thus freeing up slots for future use, but I'm not going to point you at it as I haven't tried it. I think I recall having to change the default number of 'bags' in XP, but not in W10.

If a folder isn't remembering its saved view, you've most likely hit the limit (5000) and Explorer is deleting an existing view when trying to save a neww one. Because of the nature of the index (BagMRU is a tree), folders on the Desktop are often the first to suffer. To check if you've reached the limit, copy & paste the following into PowerShell to see how many views are indexed:

Code:

((gp "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU").Nodeslots).count

If you've hit 5000, you should delete the BagMRU and (sibling) Bags keys:

Code:

'BagMRU', 'Bags' | %{ri "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\$_" }
gps explorer | spps

KeithM said:

If a folder isn't remembering its saved view, you've most likely hit the limit (5000) and Explorer is deleting an existing view when trying to save a neww one. Because of the nature of the index (BagMRU is a tree), folders on the Desktop are often the first to suffer. To check if you've reached the limit, copy & paste the following into PowerShell to see how many views are indexed:

Code:

((gp "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU").Nodeslots).count

If you've hit 5000, you should delete the BagMRU and (sibling) Bags keys:

Code:

'BagMRU', 'Bags' | %{ri "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\$_" }
gps explorer | spps

Okay, that's good.

I ran the first code and it showed 5000

Then I ran the second code, it did its thing. Then all my folders were reset to default, so I went and set a folder to Large icons and did the thing to apply to all folders. And I also went to the folder I wanted a Medium view for (the folder is on the desktop by the way) and I set it to Medium view.

Then I ran the first code again, and now it showed me 2.

So we'll see how it goes. Thanks man :)

You're welcome. Just be aware that 'Apply to Folders' works on a per-FolderType basis (Generic, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, and Videos). So it has to be invoked from one of each of these to cover all the FolderTypes.

This bit of PowerShell will list which FolderTypes have been set using Apply to FOlders:

Code:

$Defaults = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults'
$FolderTypes = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes'
(gi $Defaults).Property | %{(gp "$FolderTypes\$_").CanonicalName}

Keith

KeithM said:

You're welcome. Just be aware that 'Apply to Folders' works on a per-FolderType basis (Generic, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, and Videos). So it has to be invoked from one of each of these to cover all the FolderTypes.

This bit of PowerShell will list which FolderTypes have been set using Apply to FOlders:

Code:

$Defaults = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults'
$FolderTypes = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes'
(gi $Defaults).Property | %{(gp "$FolderTypes\$_").CanonicalName}

Keith

Got it. Thanks again :)