Windows File Explorer Gurus - I need your help!

[TBSN]

I've been on Windows 10 for a long time now, and I just have yet to get comfortable with File Explorer.

It seems like every aspect of its default setup is just terrible. Does anyone have an example of how they've made it work for them? Or some important settings to start with? It feels like such a mess right now.

 

[mikeymikec]

Could you be more specific?

 

[Muse]

I don't like the way it works but I can get to where I want anyway. I don't use it to search for files, for that I use Agent Ransack, a free download.

 

[TBSN]

Could you be more specific?

Sorry, I guess the question was a bit open ended.

Just looking for suggestions to make it easier to work with, if there are people who have changed it from default.

So far I've removed some clutter, still have a folder called "3D Objects" above my main drive, and many times I'll make a change in one of the ribbon tabs like view settings, etc and it doesn't seem to save it, across new windows/etc.

 

[mikeymikec]

I don't personally use Win10 but I would probably make the following changes to it if I did:

1 - Install Classic Shell (Start menu only)
2 - Explorer options: View hidden files (not OS files), 'This PC' rather than 'Quick access', untick 'show frequently browsed folders', enable showing file extensions.
3 - Add 'This PC' to the desktop (can be found in Settings app, under Themes > desktop icons.
4 - Add 'Documents' and 'Pictures' shortcuts to desktop.
5 - Settings > Taskbar options, don't combine icons, turn off notification area auto-hide icons
6 - Settings > can't remember where this one is, but customising the notification pane and getting rid of all the quick access buttons except for actually useful ones.
7 - get rid of any taskbar shortcuts
8 - get rid of any unnecessary apps on the system tray

 

[TBSN]

I don't personally use Win10 but I would probably make the following changes to it if I did:

1 - Install Classic Shell (Start menu only)
2 - Explorer options: View hidden files (not OS files), 'This PC' rather than 'Quick access', untick 'show frequently browsed folders', enable showing file extensions.
3 - Add 'This PC' to the desktop (can be found in Settings app, under Themes > desktop icons.
4 - Add 'Documents' and 'Pictures' shortcuts to desktop.
5 - Settings > Taskbar options, don't combine icons, turn off notification area auto-hide icons
6 - Settings > can't remember where this one is, but customising the notification pane and getting rid of all the quick access buttons except for actually useful ones.
7 - get rid of any taskbar shortcuts
8 - get rid of any unnecessary apps on the system tray

Great! I'm going to start with these things. And I'll be sure to check out Class Shell too. Thanks for the help.

 

[Iron Woode]

Great! I'm going to start with these things. And I'll be sure to check out Class Shell too. Thanks for the help.

classic shell is great if you like the look of win7 menus. I personally do and love it.

you might want to try out OldNewExplorer for a more retro look.

https://www.howtogeek.com/260434/ho...plorer-look-like-windows-7s-windows-explorer/

 

[Ketchup]

... So far I've removed some clutter, still have a folder called "3D Objects" above my main drive, and many times I'll make a change in one of the ribbon tabs like view settings, etc and it doesn't seem to save it, across new windows/etc.

Not sure I follow this one. Can you possibly post some pics of what it doesn't save? There were a couple changes I had to adjust to, but I like just about everything in the way that Win 10 file explorer works.

 

[Billb2]

I don't know f this is what you're looking for , but:
Click on an empty space on the Name/Date Modified/type/Size bar and from the drop down menu (More) you can pick pretty much anything to show there.

Windows 10 also supports 4 different explorer standard configurations simultaneously. I have one set up for Music.
It shows:
File Name
Artist
Bit Depth
Bit Rate
Length

 

[Tweak155]

I don't personally use Win10 but I would probably make the following changes to it if I did:
...
3 - Add 'This PC' to the desktop (can be found in Settings app, under Themes > desktop icons.
...

Wow this bugged the crap out of me when I first started using Windows 10. I tried pinning 'This PC' to the taskbar but it doesn't work quite the same, same thing with making a shortcut on the desktop.

This method returns it to the Windows 7 implementation. Thanks!

 

[Tweak155]

Sorry, I guess the question was a bit open ended.

Just looking for suggestions to make it easier to work with, if there are people who have changed it from default.

So far I've removed some clutter, still have a folder called "3D Objects" above my main drive, and many times I'll make a change in one of the ribbon tabs like view settings, etc and it doesn't seem to save it, across new windows/etc.

I think the real question would be is... what is it that you can't get it to do? Some of the settings are directory specific while others are global. The global options are in the File Explorer Options panel.