View in "Downloads" folder in windows explorer

My Downloads folder sorts my downloads by name but it also sorts them by date categories. Exp: Yesterday - Last Week - Last Month - A Long Time Ago. I didn't have those time divisions before, they were just sorted by name. How do I get the Yesterday - Last Week - Last Month - A Long Time Ago views to go away. I remember doing it before but I can't remember how I did it.

Dale

BUT - Accessing my downloads from other sources, such as This PC or UserName icon, will make it default back to Groups. On mine I have to access it every different way I can, change it and then change it again. The 3rd time I enter from each source it shows as *I* set it. But again at some point in time I will find it sorted again by groups. i.e. it doesn't stick!

Then if you use a browser and download something and use "Save As" when explorer opens it will default to groups. So you have to go into downloads that way a couple times to make it stick but it still at some point return to groups.

flhthemi said:

BUT - Accessing my downloads from other sources, such as This PC or UserName icon, will make it default back to Groups. On mine I have to access it every different way I can, change it and then change it again. The 3rd time I enter from each source it shows as *I* set it. But again at some point in time I will find it sorted again by groups. i.e. it doesn't stick!

Then if you use a browser and download something and use "Save As" when explorer opens it will default to groups. So you have to go into downloads that way a couple times to make it stick but it still at some point return to groups.

If you open Downloads from This PC, turn off grouping, and then use Apply to Folders to set this as your default template, that should reset the view of c:\users\<User>\Download as well.


If it doesn't, you've maxed out saved views & need to delete them:

Code:

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

Then, try Apply to Folders​ again. Once you've successfully created a custom template, clear saved dialog views so they will use your custom template:

Code:

$Bags = 'HKCU:\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags'
$DLID = '{885A186E-A440-4ADA-812B-DB871B942259}'
gci $bags -recurse |
   ?{$_.GetSubkeyNames() -contains $DLID} |
   remove-item -Path { join-path $_.PSPath $DLID }

gps explorer | spps

That should get things working as expected.

I tried your suggestion @KeithM. As soon as I clicked the Apply to Folders button it sent me back to downloads and the folder was in Group By again. So once more I turned off Group By and opened change folder and clicked Apply to Folders and it set it. Should have set it the 1st time. I should not have had to repeat it a 2nd time. I'll bet you a dime to a doughnut I'll return at a later time and it'll be by group again as that's what's been happening for quite some time. I can't pinpoint since when unfortunately but I think it's a bug.

What number is returned by this PowerShell? Copy & paste into PowerShell console.

Code:

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

KeithM said:

What number is returned by this PowerShell? Copy & paste into PowerShell console.

5000

That means you're maxed out on saved views. Apply to Folders won't work properly,

Run this PowerShell to delete saved views:

Code:

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

Then, open Explorer to Downloads, turn off grouping, & execute Apply to Folders again. Do the same for the other FolderTypes if you want to modify their default view. If you use Apply to Folders before opening any of the common dialogs (Open, Save, SaveAs), the dialogs will use your custom layout as well.

KeithM said:

That means you're maxed out on saved views. Apply to Folders won't work properly,
Run this PowerShell to delete saved views:
Then, open Explorer to Downloads, turn off grouping, & execute Apply to Folders again. Do the same for the other FolderTypes if you want to modify their default view. If you use Apply to Folders before opening any of the common dialogs (Open, Save, SaveAs), the dialogs will use your custom layout as well.

Ran the code, opened the downloads folder from UserName shortcut on desktop. It was in Group by view. Followed instructions again to set it and got the same results. i.e. took 2 times to set the view.