Deleting files in Win Explorer - lose highlight after each deletion?


  1. Posts : 40
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #1

    Deleting files in Win Explorer - lose highlight after each deletion?


    Is there a way to delete a highlighted file in Windows Explorer, and have the next file be highlighted, rather than outlined?

    When reviewing files for deletion, it would be nice if you could step through a directory, file by file, to delete files or not, one by one, using the Preview Pane to review each file.

    As it currently works for me, you can step up and down the file list using the up/down arrows, and each file becomes highlighted, but as soon as one is deleted, the following file becomes outlined, not highlighted, and it takes a click to highlight the file, or a up/down arrow, but that skips the outlined file in the process.

    You can select multiple highlighted files by holding down the Shift key while using the up/down arrows, but that's not quite the intended process.

    Can this be changed to have the next file be highlighted, following deletion of a highlighted file?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 13,896
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #2

    Is it intended to delete the following file? Two methods of deleting, one is to selectively choose random files by holding down the Ctrl key and click the files as desired and the other in deleting groups is to click the first in a list, hold down the Shift key and click the last to be deleted, highlights all in that portion of the list. To empty the folder click one file to get focus in the folder then press Ctrl + A to highlight all.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 40
    Windows 10 Home x64
    Thread Starter
       #3

    I was hoping to be able to arrow down a list, previewing and deleting (or not) files one by one, using only the arrow and delete keys. Presently the first time you delete a file(s), the file that then becomes the default selection is only outlined, not highlighted. You have to either click it, or down arrow then up arrow, to get it highlighted again. This seems like odd behavior.

    Doing it using multiple-file selection techniques, followed by deletion, doesn't change the fact that the next default selected file is not highlighted, only outlined.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 2,899
    Windows 10 Pro for the Bro
       #4

    1) I would place the mouse on that first file you want to delete
    2) Click that file
    3) Look at the preview
    4) Press delete
    5) Don't move the mouse. Left click
    6) Look at the preview
    7) Press delete

    (Have your left hand on the keyboard)
    Index finger on the Delete button, thumb on the Arrow Down

    If you want to skip a file's deletion, use your thumb to press Arrow Down to go to the next file
    (move the mouse as well to the next highlighted file)

    Do the same process as above.

    See if that's convenient.

    [I've done some similar task like this in the past, kinda worked out conveniently for me]
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 40
    Windows 10 Home x64
    Thread Starter
       #5

    pepanee said:
    1) I would place the mouse on that first file you want to delete ...
    That works, just hoping there was a way to avoid the mouse click. Being right-handed it's slightly awkward working either the mouse or the arrow/delete keys with the left hand in an attempt to speed up the process.

    I wonder what advantage MS saw in configuring the file explorer in this fashion? Less likely to errantly delete an unintended 2nd file perhaps?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 2,899
    Windows 10 Pro for the Bro
       #6

    spoolin01 said:
    That works, just hoping there was a way to avoid the mouse click. Being right-handed it's slightly awkward working either the mouse or the arrow/delete keys with the left hand in an attempt to speed up the process.

    I wonder what advantage MS saw in configuring the file explorer in this fashion? Less likely to errantly delete an unintended 2nd file perhaps?
    I completely understand your point of view. The way you are "expecting" this idea is to be more convenient... and I completely agree with you. Your idea about this is keeping it as simple and general as possible.
    I am on the same exact page with you!

    - - - Updated - - -

    Edit (5:50 PM local time):

    After you delete, and the next file would be outlined... you can "select" it by pressing [Control + Spacebar] if you like.
    Kinda makes the whole process you're doing a little clunky, but that's one way to select the next outlined file.


    Also another idea:
    After you delete a selected file, you can press Arrow Down Arrow Up, to have the next file selected. A little clunky of an idea too, but that's one other alternate way.


    (Sorry, I'm just providing ideas that go around the whole "fix" you're looking for. I don't know of an "exact fix" to that, just certain methods that conclude with what you want.)
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 40
    Windows 10 Home x64
    Thread Starter
       #7

    pepanee said:
    Also another idea:
    After you delete a selected file, you can press Arrow Down Arrow Up, to have the next file selected. A little clunky of an idea too, but that's one other alternate way.


    (Sorry, I'm just providing ideas that go around the whole "fix" you're looking for. I don't know of an "exact fix" to that, just certain methods that conclude with what you want.)
    Hey, that's a good trick I didn't know, thanks! Still clunky but at least it's just keystrokes, and one less than the two arrow-stroke alternative.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 2,899
    Windows 10 Pro for the Bro
       #8

    spoolin01 said:
    Hey, that's a good trick I didn't know, thanks! Still clunky but at least it's just keystrokes, and one less than the two arrow-stroke alternative.
    You're welcome. (It was also really cool when I first learned about this idea a few months ago).
    So try it out, see how you like it. =)
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 1
    W10
       #9

    Hi,
    I know it's been over a year but I was actually looking for a solution for the same problem and bumped on this thread. As I handle a massive amount of docs (photos mostly) and need to discard quite a few, it is tiring and time consuming to use the mouse. For a number of years so far I have been using the down and up arrow like someone suggested here already but even that is becoming a bunch now.

    I saw the ctrl+spacebar trick and I tried it and I have to say it's a good one but still it's a stretch. However I discovered that to actually make the cursor select the file instead of just highlight it, you don't need to press ctrl. The combo is when you want to select or deselect the file. If you want just to select it you can just press the space bar. So now after I delete a file, I just press the spacebar and it selects the next file that got highlighted. If I delete it then I repeat the process, just pressing the spacebar. If I want to keep it I just press the down arrow.

    Thanks for all the suggestions and especially for the combo one. It did help me find the best way that works for me. I don't know if anyone else find it handy but I thought to share it.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 1,155
    Windows 10
       #10

    because the dialog box that asks you to confirm the deletion takes focus. i think actually after testing it makes more sense that its because you made a selection previously and therefore you currently have no selection after deleting those files, only a "soft" selection with the outlined boarder. You then need to make new selection.

    You should be able to press delete and then space to confirm and then just press the arrow keys to select the next file to delete.

    You can also use shift for multiple and you can also use ctrl to keep a selection so you can scroll with the arrow keys to select more files using space that can be in any order you need to hold ctrl down after a selection if you want more than one selection. Unless shifting through in chronological order.
      My Computer


 

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