Windows Explorer Auto Arrange - Disable in Windows 8

How to Disable Auto Arrange in File Explorer to have Free Sorting in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

In Windows 8, auto arrange is enabled by default so that all file and folder names in File Explorer are sorted alphabetically no matter what folder view you used.

This is basically like having how you can arrange icons how you like on your desktop in every folder in Files Explorer now.

This will show you how to disable Auto Arrange to be able to sort your files and folders in any random order you like in File Explorer without it having to be sorted alphabetically by name in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1. Windows 8 will also remember these random folder sortings, and open as how they were when the window was last closed.

   Note

• When auto arrange is disabled, you can arrange items in any order and position using Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, Small Icons, and Extended Tiles folder views.

• When auto arrange is disabled, and you are using Details folder view, you can only arrange items in any order and not in any position.

• When auto arrange is disabled and you switch from a Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, Small Icons, and Tiles folder view to Details folder view, it will reset auto arrange to list all items in the folder in the order that you had them arranged in instead of any position. You will have to rearrange the positions how you like again afterwards.

• When you disable auto arrange, and either unzip a file in a folder, move a folder, or rename a folder, it will refresh and auto arrange the files in that specific folder only after each time you do this. Auto arrange is still disabled for that folder, but you will need to arrange the files back to whatever non-auto arranged order you like again after unzipping a file in a folder, move a folder, or rename a folder.

• The Auto arrange and Align to grid options, when you right click or press and hold on an empty area in the folder and click on View, are only available (not grayed out) while using the Extra Large Icons, Large Icons, Medium Icons, Small Icons, and Tiles folder view.

• To enable or disable auto arrange for a specific folder, you can right click or press and hold on an empty area in the folder, click/tap on View, then click/tap on Auto arrange to uncheck (disable) or check (enable) it for that specific folder.

• If you use Apply to Folders, it will reset auto arrange to list all items in the folders in the order that you had them arranged in instead of any position. Using Apply to Folders will also have View -> Auto arrange checked (enabled) afterwards for all these folders. You will need to uncheck Auto Arrange in each folder affected by "Apply to Folders" to be able to arrange in any position in these folders again.

   Warning

DO NOT USE this tutorial in any other OS than Windows 8.

• While this tutorial will allow you to disable auto arrange in the Libraries folder itself, it will not disable auto arrange inside any of the other library folders (ex: Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos).
• Free sorting is not available if you use "Group by" views instead of only "Sort by" views.
• Free sorting is not available in the List and Content folder views.

EXAMPLE: Auto Arrange Enabled and Disabled
NOTE: Notice in the screenshot with Auto Arrange disabled, the files can be dragged around the File Explorer window to sort how you like without having to be in alphabetical order.

​

​

​

​

​

​

OPTION ONE

To Disable Auto Arrange in Windows 8 File Explorer

​

   Warning

It is also recommended to create a restore point before doing this option in case you would like to undo any unwanted unknown side affects that OPTION TWO may not undo. This way, you could also do a system restore with this restore point to undo this option completely.

   Warning

​

​

​

​

1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below.​

​

​

Disable_Windows_8_Explorer_Auto_Arrange.bat​

​

​

​

​

2. Save the .bat file to your desktop.​

​

3. Close everything that you have running first, then run the downloaded .bat file.​

​

4. If prompted, click/tap on Run. ​

NOTE: If you like, you can stop getting the Run prompt by unblocking the downloaded .bat file.​

​

5. You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt open as explorer is restarted to apply the registry changes.​

​

6. Let the command prompt count down to finish on it's own without pressing a key.​

​

7. When it's finished, you will see the This PC window open.​

​

8. Auto arrange in File Explorer is now disabled.​

​

OPTION TWO

To Enable Auto Arrange in Windows 8 File Explorer

NOTE: This is the default setting. This option will also reset all folder views back to default.

​

1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below.​

​

Enable_Windows_8_Explorer_Auto_Arrange.bat​

​

​

​

​

2. Save the .bat file to your desktop.​

​

3. Close everything that you have running first, then run the downloaded .bat file.​

​

4. If prompted, click/tap on Run. ​

NOTE: If you like, you can stop getting the Run prompt by unblocking the downloaded .bat file.​

​

5. You will now notice your screen flicker as explorer is restarted to apply the registry changes.​

​

6. Auto arrange in File Explorer is now enabled again.​

​

7. You can delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.​

​

​

​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Back Up and Restore Your Folder View Settings in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Change Icon Size and Layout Folder View in Windows 8 File Explorer
• How to Change the Template of a Folder or Drive in Windows 8
• How to Set a Default Folder Template for All Folders in Windows 8
• How to Set a Default Folder View for All Folders in Windows 8
• "Apply to Folders" a Custom View to All Folders with Same Template in Windows 8
• How to Reset Folder View Settings Back to Default in Windows 8
• How to Change the Width of Columns in Windows 8 File Explorer
• How to Change the Order of Columns in Windows 8 File Explorer
• How to Add or Remove Columns in Windows 8 File Explorer
• How to Sort, Group, and Arrange Items by a Column in Windows 8 File Explorer
• How to Arrange Folders Included in a Library in Any Order in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Enable or Disable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer

 

[tjajmg1]

Thank you very much

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome TJ.

 

[mambodogface]

Hi, Brink--
On previous versions of Windows Explorer, I was able to have my files organized in neat rows, but I could manually rearrange the order. Can't remember the terminology for what it is that I need to disable on my new Windows 8 OS, but I could use a hand. If I disable auto arrange, I can manually put them in order, but the rows/columns also are disabled, right? Is there a way to do what I'm asking in the current Windows Explorer?

 

[Brink]

Hello mambodogface, and welcome to Eight Forums.

The terminology is "auto arrange". If you disable it using the tutorial, then you can arrange them however you like.

If you use an "Icon" view, you can arrange them in any order and position you like in File Explorer.

If you use "Details" view for columns, then you can only arrange then in any order you like in File Explorer.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[mambodogface]

Thanks, yeah. But will it make the folder totally free-form, or will it still be in rows and columns?
This forum is great; appreciate the help.

UPDATE:
Tried it out. Only works the way I want it to in "Details." Otherwise leaves lots of gaps and things between files. But details view won't let me see enough icons at once. Any other suggestions?
Thanks so much.

 

[Brink]

Unfortunately, if you want to keep the columns, then "Details" view is the only option that has them. You could use icons, but you would just need to arrange them without them being spread apart to much. I like using "Medium icons" view.

 

[mambodogface]

Navigated into another window and then came back, and the icons are all back in alphabetical order. Still in Details mode. What'd I do wrong?

Actually, I'm not sure what it was that made them rearrange.

 

[Brink]

Whenever you change the view setting, it will reset the arrangement back to alphabetical order. The blue Note box at the top of the tutorial can give you more usage details to help more.

 

[Jungyin]

Hello, is there a way to use the original style tiles instead of extended tiles? Could I edit the registry entries manually to do so? I liked the halfway combination of having some extra details while still being able to arrange them in a grid.

 

[Brink]

Hello, is there a way to use the original style tiles instead of extended tiles? Could I edit the registry entries manually to do so? I liked the halfway combination of having some extra details while still being able to arrange them in a grid.

Hello Jungyin, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Not that I know of.

 

[Jungyin]

Ah, that's unfortunate, thank you for the reply. Guess I'll just have to choose whether that view is worth giving up control.

 

[Mastert]

This worked great thanks for the fix. Is there a way to apply this to the My music folder as well?

 

[Hopachi]

This was really needed on my slow HDD...

Thank you Shawn.

Hopachi

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Hopachi.

 

[Brink]

This worked great thanks for the fix. Is there a way to apply this to the My music folder as well?

Hello Mastert, and welcome to Eight Forums.

It should already work in your C:\Users\(user-name)\My Music folder. It just will not work in the Music library.

In addition, double check through the Note and Warning boxes at the top of the tutorial for more usage details that may help more.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[c627627]

Thank you Shawn for posting this thread and for hosting the forums.


Correct me if I'm wrong but it appears that initially, after first applying the patch on a fresh system, Auto Arrange is disabled globally on the system. But if you go to View > Options > View TAB > Apply to Folders [in order to set Medium icon view globally, for example] then from then on, the Auto Arrange has to be disabled in each and every folder separately. (Each folder requiring separate Right Click > View > UNCHECK Auto Arrange). Auto Arrange is no longer disabled globally in other words.


One more thing that is affected is display of file types in folders. If you had your music files set to display in one way and photos in another way and regular folders in a third way [you only had to do this once on a fresh system by going to folder containing only music, or folder containing only photos, or folder containing regular files, then View > Options > View TAB > Apply to Folders] Then this is no longer an option with the patch on.



I'd also like to ask you for your personal opinion on why Auto Arrange could no longer be disabled in Windows 7/8.


When Windows 7 first came out, I believe the conclusion on Microsoft newsgroups was that Microsoft experienced crashes with Auto Arrange disabled so the solution was to simply leave Auto Arrange enabled globally and mandatory. Microsoft liked to claim that they spent more money on new Windows OS than we spent to put a man on the Moon so the joke at the time was that at least we sent a man to the moon and MS could not make an OS capable of moving a file or folder one step in any direction without crashing the operating system!


It's good that Windows XP updates will run until second half of 2014 because for work, the only solution was to reboot into Windows XP if you needed to sort out files or folders. Grouping files and folders on the screen is essential for some people's work, let's hope some future version of windows will have an option of full Windows XP GUI with Auto Arrange disabled without breaking anything else. This patch will do in an emergency until then. Thanks again.

 

[Brink]

Hello c627627, and welcome to Eight Forums.

You can still use the "Apply to folders" whether auto arranged is enabled or disabled. You just have to make sure that you open Folder Options from within that folder and not from any other location for it to work.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/9751-folder-view-apply-folders-same-template-windows-8-a.html


I'm not sure what Microsoft decided to no longer have an option to enable/disable auto arrange via the GUI since Windows 7. If I had to guess, it may have been due to Vista not remembering folder view settings very well, and they just left auto arrange enabled to help with that in Windows 7. Though I never had any issues disabling auto arrange using the method in this tutorial for Windows 7 or 8.

 

[c627627]

I have reimaged my system back to retest and confirm.

1. On a fresh system, I should say on my Windows 8 fresh system, applying the patch globally disables auto arrange. The moment you go to View > Options > View TAB > Apply to Folders, after you do that, auto arrange is no longer globally disabled, it requires me to manually disable auto arrange in every folder: Right Click > View > UNCHECK Auto Arrange


2. Fresh unpatched system has this Content View look for my music files:




It cannot be returned after patching the system , even after running the .bat file reversing the patch, it has Microsoft Wave Sound Format displayed underneath the files, unlike before:

 

[Brink]

Give this a try. It's a weird quirk I found.

Change the view in this order: Tiles -> Content being careful not to hover over any other view option to have it change to it.

If you go from one of the other views and directly to Content, it doesn't display the same.