Can I Reset Default View for All Folders?

Dumb question? I've been looking for the answer for over a year!

I'd like all folders to open with "Medium Icons" by default. I'm still stuck changing the View to that setting every time I look into a folder I haven't used recently or have just created. Surely I'm missing something?

Windows Home 10.0.19042

Where ever I look, using these instructions, I can't find the settings mentioned. For example, there is no "Libraries" tab visible in my menus.

I'd like all folders to open with "Medium Icons" by default. I'm still stuck changing the View to that setting every time I look into a folder I haven't used recently or since it was created.

Start with this tutorial: Apply Folder View to All Folders of Same Type in Windows 10

But understand you have to repeat this for a number of different FolderTypes:

Code:

FolderType               ExampleFolder                                 
----------               -------------                                 
Contacts                 shell:Contacts                                
Documents                shell:Personal                                
Downloads                shell:Downloads                               
Generic                  shell:ThisPCDesktopFolder                     
HomeFolder               shell:::{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}
Music                    shell:My Music                                
Pictures                 shell:My Pictures                             
Programs                 Shell:Programs                                
Searches                 shell:Searches                                
StorageProviderDocuments shell:OneDriveDocuments                       
StorageProviderGeneric   shell:OneDrive                                
StorageProviderMusic     shell:OneDriveMusic                           
StorageProviderPictures  shell:OneDrivePictures                        
StorageProviderVideos    shell:OneDrive\Videos                         
UserFiles                shell:UsersFilesFolder                        
UsersLibraries           shell:UsersLibrariesFolder                    
Videos                   shell:My Video

you can use the shell:<FOlder> command in the Run dialog or the Explorer Adreess Bar. Set the view settings to your liking then execute Apply to Folders from the View tab.

These settings affect file system folders but not the Libraries, as they are virtual folders.

Thanks for your suggestions. The problem I see is, "The view settings will not be applied to libraries, This PC, and open and save as dialog boxes." So I've tried this routine several times and it doesn't seem to work at all for me.

Are you comfortable copying & pasting code into a PowerShell window?

If this command retruns a count of 5000, saved views have maxed out & things will be flakey.

Code:

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

If you've hit 5000, delete the BagMRU & Bags keys:

Code:

sl 'HKCU:\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell'
'BagMRU', 'Bags' | Remove-Item -Recurse

Verify that you have set defaults for all the FolderTypes:

Code:

Function Get-CustomFolderTypes {
    $Defaults = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults'
    $FT       = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes'


    If ( ! ( $global:FT_Lookup )) {      # Available for interactive use
        $sbBegin   = {$hash = @{         # for duration of PowerShell session
            '{25CC242B-9A7C-4F51-80E0-7A2928FEBE42}' = 'Network'
            '{D6D9E004-CD87-442B-9D57-5E0AEB4F6F72}' = 'Recycle Bin'
        }}
        $global:FT_Lookup = gci $FT | ForEach $sbBegin {
             $hash.Add( $_.PSChildName , ($_).GetValue('CanonicalName') )
        } { $hash }
@"
        FT_Lookup: FolderTYpeID -> FolderType Name created.
        Use:
        `t"`$FT_Lookup.GetEnumerator() | sort value | ft -AutoSize"
        to view in console or type:
        `t"`$FT_Lookkup | Out-GridView"
        to browse, sort, and filter.
"@ | Write-Host
    }


    If ( Test-Path $Defaults ) {
        (gi $Defaults).Property | ForEach{ [PSCustomObject]@{
            'ID'  = $_
            'Name'= $FT_Lookup[$_]
        }}
    } Else {
         Write-Host "`n`t`tNo Customized Templates`n"
    }
}
Set-Alias -Name gcft -Value Get-CustomFolderTypes
gcft

You can copy & paste the whole block. That will give you a nice list like this:

Code:

PS C:\...\keith>Function Get-CustomFolderTypes {
>>     $Defaults = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults'
>>     $FT       = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes'
>>
>>
>>     If ( ! ( $global:FT_Lookup )) {      # Available for interactive use
>>         $sbBegin   = {$hash = @{         # for duration of PowerShell session
>>             '{25CC242B-9A7C-4F51-80E0-7A2928FEBE42}' = 'Network'
>>             '{D6D9E004-CD87-442B-9D57-5E0AEB4F6F72}' = 'Recycle Bin'
>>         }}
>>         $global:FT_Lookup = gci $FT | ForEach $sbBegin {
>>              $hash.Add( $_.PSChildName , ($_).GetValue('CanonicalName') )
>>         } { $hash }
>> @"
>>         FT_Lookup: FolderTYpeID -> FolderType Name created.
>>         Use:
>>         `t"`$FT_Lookup.GetEnumerator() | sort value | ft -AutoSize"
>>         to view in console or type:
>>         `t"`$FT_Lookkup | Out-GridView"
>>         to browse, sort, and filter.
>> "@ | Write-Host
>>     }
>>
>>
>>     If ( Test-Path $Defaults ) {
>>         (gi $Defaults).Property | ForEach{ [PSCustomObject]@{
>>             'ID'  = $_
>>             'Name'= $FT_Lookup[$_]
>>         }}
>>     } Else {
>>          Write-Host "`n`t`tNo Customized Templates`n"
>>     }
>> }
>> Set-Alias -Name gcft -Value Get-CustomFolderTypes
>> gcft
>>
        FT_Lookup: FolderTYpeID -> FolderType Name created.
        Use:
                "$FT_Lookup.GetEnumerator() | sort value | ft -AutoSize"
        to view in console or type:
                "$FT_Lookkup | Out-GridView"
        to browse, sort, and filter.

ID                                     Name
--                                     ----
{B3690E58-E961-423B-B687-386EBFD83239} Pictures
{885A186E-A440-4ADA-812B-DB871B942259} Downloads
{94D6DDCC-4A68-4175-A374-BD584A510B78} Music
{5C4F28B5-F869-4E84-8E60-F11DB97C5CC7} Generic
{5FA96407-7E77-483C-AC93-691D05850DE8} Videos
{7D49D726-3C21-4F05-99AA-FDC2C9474656} Documents
{24CCB8A6-C45A-477D-B940-3382B9225668} HomeFolder
{DD61BD66-70E8-48DD-9655-65C5E1AAC2D1} StorageProviderDocuments
{672ECD7E-AF04-4399-875C-0290845B6247} StorageProviderMusic
{71D642A9-F2B1-42CD-AD92-EB9300C7CC0A} StorageProviderPictures
{51294DA1-D7B1-485B-9E9A-17CFFE33E187} StorageProviderVideos
{4F01EBC5-2385-41F2-A28E-2C5C91FB56E0} StorageProviderGeneric
{D6D9E004-CD87-442B-9D57-5E0AEB4F6F72} Recycle Bin
{0B0BA2E3-405F-415E-A6EE-CAD625207853} Searches
{DE2B70EC-9BF7-4A93-BD3D-243F7881D492} Contacts
{DB2A5D8F-06E6-4007-ABA6-AF877D526EA6} AccountPictures
{2C7BBEC6-C844-4A0A-91FA-CEF6F59CFDA1} Printers
{3f2a72a7-99fa-4ddb-a5a8-c604edf61d6b} Music.Library

I just recently posted here about a way I found to control dialog defaults seperate from Explorer windows. The OP there wanted Details. I could mod code or .reg file to Medium Icons instead. Let me know.

Wow! I'm too old to learn how to do what you're suggesting, or to even guess if it's a good idea.