Windows doesn't remember "sort by" folder settings

rivre · 06 Sep 2017

By default there is no "date" option available when right-clicking in a folder and selecting "sort by". When I select "More", then check the date option, and then right-click and select sort by sate (ascending), Windows forgets it as soon as I back out of the window. Next time I open the window, the date option is gone and I have to do it all over again.

I can't believe there isn't a way for Windows to remember this setting, but I can't find a way. Is there a way for it to remember your settings, or for "date" to always be an option in the "sort by" menu?

Gordon7 · 06 Sep 2017

Hi, if you do select these settings, it will work:

Windows doesn't remember "sort by" folder settings-ashampoo_snap_2017.09.06_18h53m01s_003_.png

Windows doesn't remember "sort by" folder settings-ashampoo_snap_2017.09.06_19h13m24s_004_.png

rivre · 06 Sep 2017

Thanks, but "add columns" is greyed out for me. But I don't think that matters.

If I click "view" at the top, then "sort by", date is already checked off because I already did that as described in my first post. What your first image shows is just another way to do the same thing I've already done.

But it doesn't remember it. If I so much as go back 1 folder and then back in again, it defaults right back to name sorting. That's the problem - it doesn't remember.

pepanee · 06 Sep 2017

The registry setting that saves all your folders' view settings got corrupt somehow.

You can reset this setting, yet this will reset all your folder view settings. You can then re-adjust your folders and they will save their setting. I recommend after adjusting all your folders view settings, that you make a backup of that part of your registry, so when this ever happens again, you can restore those settings.

Reset folder view settings:
Reset Folder View Settings to Default in Windows 10 Windows 10 Customization Tutorials

As time passes, and you are adjusting folder view settings, make backups of the Registry that saves this information (to where in the future if this happens again, and don't get me wrong, this registry corruption has a possibility to happen over time, then you can restore using this tool of your saved registry settings):
Backup and Restore Folder View Settings in Windows 10 Windows 10 Backup Restore Tutorials

pepanee · 06 Sep 2017

Also yes, there is a way for Windows to remember to put Date in the column and you can apply it to all folders of that type.

After resetting and fixing your registry that saves this information, and after you manually customize how you want folders (of that type) to look the way you want it to, press the Apply to Folders button:

Windows doesn't remember "sort by" folder settings-apply-folders.png

rivre · 06 Sep 2017

Running the .bat file and rebooting my PC fixed the issue. Now it remembers my settings per folder. Big thanks.

Is there any way the "date" option could be listed by default when selecting "sort by"? I don't want the date to be the default view it always defaults to, but I would like for the date option to always be there as an option instead of having to right-click and select "more" first to check the date option. Right now the default choices are always:

- Name
- Date Modified
- Type
- Size

How can I get "date" to be always be listed there as well? Is there a small registry change I can make to add that as an option?

pepanee · 06 Sep 2017

Yes you're welcome.

I accidentally didn't tell you how to do that. Let me go ahead and help you out with having the "Date" detail always show up on all folders.

So first, open a folder. Add the Date column to the location you want it to be at. Readjust/resize all the columns (Name, Date, Type, Size) the way you want it to look for all folders.

After that, at the top of the folder, press View > Options. This will open the Folder Options window. At the top of this window, press the View tab. Then press Apply to Folders. (Refer to picture)

[I want you to keep note though! This setting will only be applied to all folders that have all types of random files. You would have to do these steps again for a folder that has all Music files in it
or
All Video files in it
or
All Readable document files in it.]

If you want EVERY SINGLE folder to look the way like you customized that folder from above, then use option 3 at:
Change Folder Template in Windows 10 Windows 10 Customization Tutorials

EXTRA NOTE: After you're done with all that, you can manually customize any folder that you want to look 'different' than the default layout you just set up, without harming other folder's view settings. Just change the way you want it to look, close the folder, and that's it! It's saved!

rivre · 07 Sep 2017

Thanks again - I've got everything sorted out now.

pepanee · 07 Sep 2017

Oh I think I see what you mean now. I've never set the default for the "Sort By" menu to be anything other than "Name". I have a few other folders that I have sorted by "Date Modified", yet it's only a select few folders only.

I've never come across setting the "Sort By" anything other than "Name" as a default for every single folder.

I apologize, I don't know how to do that. Maybe someone else knows how to do that.

Sorrymyen · 05 Jul 2020

Many thanks for the tip. It really worked for all file properties, except for "subject" and "author".

When these two properties are used to sort files, the system is unable to memorize them when the folder is opened again, returning to alphabetical order. Can anyone reproduce this with "subject" and "author" to confirm whether it is a Windows limitation or a corruption of my system?