Using File Explorer

boba4780 · 26 Aug 2015

In Windows 7 when I open Windows Explorer it comes up with a very simple window that has very basic tabs, Organise, Share With Burn, New Folder. Organise then has a very basic drop down menu.

When I use File Explorer in Windows 10 it comes up with a much more detailed menu that offers four menus, File, Home, Share, View.

Is there any way I can use a window similar to Windows 7? I'm sure it is there somewhere as when you attempt to open a file in an application a window identical to what I want comes up to allow the selection.

Thanks,
Bob Andrew

icpwolverine · 26 Aug 2015

if you click on Home in the File Explorer it has pretty much what you describe the Share Tab has the Burn option in it as well as adding to zip and other things its all there just less cluttered

Night Hawk · 27 Aug 2015

Hello boba4780 Welcome to the Ten Forums!

The Explorer "View>Options>View tab" is the place to be as well as the first screen to check off or don't the "show all folders" and "show all libraries" boxes as well as in the view tab checking or unchecking the same things you would see in 7. Only now in the top portion of the first screen you see the option for Quick Access or This PC to be opened to when going to click on File Explorer in the Start menu or the explorer icon pinned to the main task bar.

What you find different of course is now there are several folders placed above the drives were are now all wrapped up together no longer seeing optical and removeable separate from the hard drives until some changes are seen to in order to end up having an explorer window that looks more like this.

Using File Explorer-windows-explorer-without-clutter.jpg

First you need to change the open to Quick Access to This PC and then follow the steps in a few guides found in the tutorial section as well as the option to unpin as well as pin folders of your choice into the Quick Access section at the top that can left closed up. For the listings of all of the File and Folder Settings guides simply go to... Windows 10 Tutorials[1]=File%20Folder%20Settings

boba4780 · 27 Aug 2015

icpwolverine said:

if you click on Home in the File Explorer it has pretty much what you describe the Share Tab has the Burn option in it as well as adding to zip and other things its all there just less cluttered

Thanks for the quick reply. I've tried what you suggested but didn't get the result. I must have some incorrect settings. Now I know it is available I can play around in the area a bit.

Bob Andrew

boba4780 · 27 Aug 2015

Night Hawk said:

Hello boba4780 Welcome to the Ten Forums!

The Explorer "View>Options>View tab" is the place to be as well as the first screen to check off or don't the "show all folders" and "show all libraries" boxes as well as in the view tab checking or unchecking the same things you would see in 7. Only now in the top portion of the first screen you see the option for Quick Access or This PC to be opened to when going to click on File Explorer in the Start menu or the explorer icon pinned to the main task bar.

What you find different of course is now there are several folders placed above the drives were are now all wrapped up together no longer seeing optical and removeable separate from the hard drives until some changes are seen to in order to end up having an explorer window that looks more like this.

First you need to change the open to Quick Access to This PC and then follow the steps in a few guides found in the tutorial section as well as the option to unpin as well as pin folders of your choice into the Quick Access section at the top that can left closed up. For the listings of all of the File and Folder Settings guides simply go to... Windows 10 Tutorials[1]=File%20Folder%20Settings

Thanks for your advice. I'll now work through all your suggestions. I didn't move to Windows 8 so any changes there passed me by.

Bob Andrew

Night Hawk · 27 Aug 2015

I didn't either so don't feel alone in that regard! I knew what MS was bringing in with 8 would take a few versions to work out and 10 came up looking much better from Tech Preview on!

The restructuring of Explorer however took a bit over a week or so. A few other threads around besides the guides get into how to make a few changes to the overall appearance. The removal of the six folders above the drives was a relief over lightling the load found in the Quick Access where I swapped folders out! The Control Panel and other system items seen there are set by checking of the "all folders" box on the first screen of the options. I prefer to leave those for ready access over pinning CP shortcuts onto the task bar while having an addon tool bar there for the same.

boba4780 · 27 Aug 2015

Thanks to both members for their help and comments. I was very happy with Windows 7 but didn't like Windows 8 at all, so I didn't upgrade. I was using W7 on two laptops. However with Windows 10 now on one laptop I'm very happy with it as it seems to be a refined W7. Provided an accounting program I use works O.K. I'll move the other one over fairly quickly.

Night Hawk · 27 Aug 2015

Well this is where 8 should have been as a progression from what 7 brought in with it! 8 was a big disappointment to a good number of people in how MS simply stripped out the familiar desktop in favor of the RT type gui for tablet leaving everyone looking for 3rd party Start menu apps and some other things.

What 10 does is see the refined dual platform work for the desktop as well as for mobile which I knew would take a few versions of Windows to realize. That you can call actual progress! This is also why you will notice that the tiles are still there in the Start but you can resize them with a right click to see the space reduced.

Using File Explorer-w10-star-menu-resize-1.jpg

Above is the default size.

Using File Explorer-resize-start-menu-shrink-tiles-2.jpg

A fast right click on any tile will reveal at least the small and medium options while some like Edge the new web browser also see the wide and large options. But just think of how many pinned items you can see without taking up the entire desktop!