How to Turn On or Off Use Check Boxes to Select Items in Windows 10

information   Information
You can use check boxes to make selecting multiple items in any order easier to do in File Explorer and on your desktop in Windows.

When check boxes is turned on, you can hover the pointer over each item to reveal the check box to be able to check (select) or uncheck (unselect) it.

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off using check boxes to select files, folders, and drives in your user account in Windows 10.

Note   Note
There are several other ways to select items.
  • Point to select (hover) on an item until it is selected if you have single-click to open an item set.
  • Single click on an item if you have double-click to open an item set.
  • Use Select all, Select none, and Invert selection.
  • To select a consecutive group of files or folders, click/tap the first item, press and hold down the Shift key, and then click/tap the last item.
  • To select multiple files or folders that are near each other, drag the mouse pointer to create a selection around the outside of all the items that you want to include.
  • To select non-consecutive files or folders, press and hold down the Ctrl key, and then click each item that you want to select.
  • To select all of the files or folders in File Explorer, click/tap on the Home tab, and click/tap on Select all​ in the ribbon. If you want to exclude one or more items from your selection, press and hold down the Ctrl key, and then click the items.


CONTENTS:
  • Option One: To Turn On or Off Use Check Boxes to Select Items in File Explorer Ribbon
  • Option Two: To Turn On or Off Use Check Boxes to Select Items in File Explorer Options
  • Option Three: To Turn On or Off Use Check Boxes to Select Items using a BAT file



EXAMPLE: Use check boxes to select items
Turn On or Off Select Items using Check Boxes in Windows 10-select_items_with_check_boxes.png






OPTION ONE

To Turn On or Off Use Check Boxes to Select Items in File Explorer Ribbon


1. While you have File Explorer open, click/tap on the View tab, and check (on) or uncheck (off) Item check boxes. (see screenshot below)

Turn On or Off Select Items using Check Boxes in Windows 10-item_check_boxes_ribbon.png






OPTION TWO

To Turn On or Off Use Check Boxes to Select Items in File Explorer Options


1. Open File Explorer Options.

2. Click/tap on the View tab, check (on) or uncheck (off) Use check boxes to select items, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

Turn On or Off Select Items using Check Boxes in Windows 10-item_check_boxes_file_explorer_options.png






OPTION THREE

To Turn On or Off Use Check Boxes to Select Items using a BAT file


Note   Note
The .bat files below are to change the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

AutoCheckSelect DWORD

0 = off
1 = on


1. Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


 2. To Turn On Use Check Boxes to Select Items

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_On_Use_Check_Boxes_to_Select_Items.bat

Download


 3. To Turn Off Use Check Boxes to Select Items

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_Off_Use_Check_Boxes_to_Select_Items.bat

Download

4. Save the .bat file to your desktop.

5. Unblock the .bat file.

6. Run the .bat file.

7. You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt quickly opens and closes as explorer is restarted to apply the registry changes.

8. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.



That's it,
Shawn


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