Set Default Folder View for all Folders in Windows 10  

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    Set Default Folder View for all Folders in Windows 10

    Set Default Folder View for all Folders in Windows 10

    How to Set a Default Folder View for All Folders in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Customization
    10 Feb 2022
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Set a Default Folder View for All Folders in Windows 10


    While browsing folders in File Explorer, you can apply the view settings of the current folder to all folders on your PC that are optimized for the same folder template type.

    This tutorial will show you how to set a custom default folder view for all folders for your account in Windows 10.


    Contents

    • Option One: Set a Default Folder View for All Folders in File Explorer
    • Option Two: Set a Default Folder View for All Folders using WinSetView (recommended)






    OPTION ONE

    Set a Default Folder View for All Folders in File Explorer


    The view settings in this option will not be applied to libraries, This PC, and open and save as dialog boxes.


    1 Set a default folder template to have all folders to be optimized for a General Items, Documents, Pictures, Music, or Videos type.

    2 In File Explorer (Win+E), open a folder (ex: Pictures) that you want to apply its folder view to all folders.

    3 Customize this folder's layout, column width, sort by, and group by view to how you like.

    4 When finished, use Apply to Folders to apply this folder's view to all folders.






    OPTION TWO

    Set a Default Folder View for All Folders using WinSetView


    WinSetView is a standalone app by our member @LesFerch that doesn't install itself on your computer.

    This tool provides an easy way to globally set Windows Explorer folder views.


    1 Go to the WinSetView web page.

    2 Click/tap on the download link at the top of that page.

    3 Save the WinSetView-main.zip file to your desktop.

    4 Extract all files from the WinSetView-main.zip file.

    5 Run the WinSetView.hta file in the extracted files from above. (see screenshot below)

    Set Default Folder View for all Folders in Windows 10-winsetview-2.png

    6 Select the options you want to apply to all folders, and click/tap on the Submit button when ready to apply. (see screenshot below)

    For how to use, see: https://lesferch.github.io/WinSetView/Manual.html

    Set Default Folder View for all Folders in Windows 10-winsetview-3.png


    That's it,
    Shawn Brink






  1. Posts : 10
    windows 10 Home
       #1

    If this doesn't apply to libraries, This PC, and open and save as dialog boxes, it is not very useful info, is it?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello Merry,

    It depends on if you want to apply a default folder view to all other folders in File Explorer or not.

    You will still be able to manually apply a folder view to libraries, This PC, and open and save as dialog boxes though.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 10
    windows 10 Home
       #3

    If I understand correctly, I must go folder by folder manually applying my preferred view, and do so again every time there is an update and MS, as we all know, sets everything back to their ways. Ther is no magical solution to choose folder setting and be able to keep them, correct?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    There's not an easy way to quickly set folder views for all libraries, This PC, and open and save as dialog boxes.

    Once you have your folder views set how you like, you can back them up to be able to quickly and easily restore as needed afterwards.

    How to Backup and Restore Folder View Settings in Windows 10
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 22
    windows 10
       #5

    Hello, are you sure that windows will remember the columns ? I cannot achieve this on my computer. Thank you.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Hello buythiscomputer, :)

    If you did all the steps in the tutorial on the first page, your folder view should be applied to all folders.

    Just to note, view settings will not be applied to libraries, This PC, and open and save as dialog boxes.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 2
    Windows 10 professional
       #7

    is there anyway to apply it to open and save-Dialogs?


    Brink said:
    Hello buythiscomputer, :)

    If you did all the steps in the tutorial on the first page, your folder view should be applied to all folders.

    Just to note, view settings will not be applied to libraries, This PC, and open and save as dialog boxes.
    If I can change it manually in a open-file dialog-box it will be stored somewhere. Is this "somewhere" accessible?

    If the solution requires some kind of code written in c++ or delphi or autohotkey I'm ready to code it.
    Just need the entry-point what has to be modified.

    best regards

    Stefan
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,661
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    StefanL38 said:
    If I can change it manually in a open-file dialog-box it will be stored somewhere. Is this "somewhere" accessible?

    If the solution requires some kind of code written in c++ or delphi or autohotkey I'm ready to code it.
    Just need the entry-point what has to be modified.

    best regards

    Stefan

    Hello Stefan, and welcome to Ten Forums.

    Unfortunately, it's stored in the Bags and BagMRU keys below in the registry without any easy way to determine which entry is for which window.

    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU
    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags

    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags
    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU

    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU
    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags

    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags
    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 2
    Windows 10 professional
       #9

    Brink said:
    Hello Stefan, and welcome to Ten Forums.

    Unfortunately, it's stored in the Bags and BagMRU keys below in the registry without any easy way to determine which entry is for which window.

    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU
    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags

    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags
    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU

    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU
    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags

    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags
    HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU
    Hi Brink,

    wooow!-! - - - that was a fast answer. Thank you very much.

    Does this mean depending on the style of the open-file /save-file-dialog different keys have to be modified?

    I want it plain simple always the same NON-grouped. I'm an almost newbee about registry. I understand the basic concept but I have almost no knowledge about details. If I code something that crawls through the whole registry searching for "Bags" and "BagMRU" and set all these values to - whatever_needed - would this do too much changes?
    (maybe this could be called "brute-forced bitbanging" bfbb ;-))

    best regards

    Stefan
      My Computer


 

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