Excel - Word: How to change the file open dialogue?

tfwul said:

In case of long file names both Excel and Word show a part of the name only in the file open dialog.
This is because the rest is blocked by an unused, i.e. empty area on the right hand.
This is really annoying.
File names may show additional information in the 'blocked' part, whereas the displayed 'first' parts (leading text) are identical.
So users have to open the files and then check out the name differences, or use Explorer to figure that out.
Is there no trick to either be able to resize that 'empty' part, or simply get rid of it and have the full file name displayed?
Thanks.

I can't tell much from your screenie, but there should be a "handle" to open the file further.



If I hover between Date Modified and Type on the top line (Name; Date modified; Type), as I hit the dividing line, a sort of crosshair/cross shows up. Grab that by holding down the left mouse button and pull it to the right. That should work if I'm seeing your screenie right.

Wynona explained that in the para after the diagrams. It just means the sort of cross-thing that appears when you hover over the join between column headers and that you can click to drag columns wider / thinner - same as in File explorer.

About

Alternatively I should open files using Explorer file open dialog

If you get there using the Browse button in your diagram and
if you pin %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent to your Quick access
then it would be almost as convenient as the dialog you are currently trying to improve.

Best of luck,
Denis

Try3 said:

Wynona explained that in the para after the diagrams. It just means the sort of cross-thing that appears when you hover over the join between column headers and that you can click to drag columns wider / thinner - same as in File explorer.

About

If you get there using the Browse button in your diagram and
if you pin %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent to your Quick access
then it would be almost as convenient as the dialog you are currently trying to improve.

Best of luck,
Denis

Thanks, Try. Sometimes I don't explain things all that well.