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Summary: Windows Explorer defaults to a simple view of the files on your machine. You can change that default to include all details by following a few steps. How do I get Windows Explorer to display details by default? Windows Explorer defaults to showing files as icons, and even to hiding some files from you. Personally, when it comes to my computer I'm a control freak - I want all the files and details by default. There are several options including viewing file details that you can manipulate, and it's fairly easy to make them the default. In fact it's one of my standard customization steps whenever I install or get a new copy of Windows. •
It's easiest to think of this as a two step process. First we'll set an instance of Windows Explorer to look the way we want, and then we'll make it permanent.
Now verify that Explorer is showing you things the way you want to see them. If not go back and adjust whatever needs to be adjusted. When you are done:
That really all there is to it. Next time you start Windows Explorer, it should come up with the settings you've selected here. As you might have guessed the two step process I've outlined above can be combined by not leaving the Folder Options dialog box before pressing Apply to All Folders. The only caveat is that you should press the Apply button at the bottom of the dialog before doing so to ensure that any changes you've made to appearance options have actually taken effect. The accompanying video clip shows the steps to change the default behavior to show details instead of icons. • Recent Comments
Exactly what I was looking for. (Didn't notice the 'Apply to All Folders' button myself :P, found it on your article) When you are selecting Details as the default setting for ALL Windows Explorer Displays, run Windows Explorer and click View and select Details. Then click on Tools,Folder Options,View and UNCHECK "Remember each folder's View settings". With "Remember each folder's View settings" unchecked click on "Apply to ALL Folders". This should make any folder you Explore default to DETAILS. This was most annoying until I tried this combination in Windows XP Home Ver 2002 SP2. Thanks for getting me on the right track. Posted by: Pop at January 25, 2008 04:56 AMThe article at the top of this page is great, but does not quite solve my problem. I have a keyboard with keys that can be assigned tasks, and I am trying to figure out how to have explorer come up with the "folder" tab (at the top) pressed. I can make it go to the root file I want, but can't get the folder "tab" look that I prefer. Posted by: Jon at January 25, 2008 10:30 AMit doesn't work by me. Is there any registry entry to edit?! Posted by: puschkin at February 7, 2008 02:36 AMIf you do find out how to get windows to show the detailed view the open, select, save dialog box then please do let us know. There is probably a registry entry somewhere. Posted by: Timothy Takemoto at April 26, 2008 11:48 PMThanks Leo !! Quick and easy. Now if I could just find out how to better sync outlook and my iPhone all would be great in the world. Posted by: justin at June 2, 2008 08:56 AMThanks so much, I was tired of the view always being icons, You have saved another ignorant computer user. Posted by: Inspecchi at June 24, 2008 11:34 AMHi Mr. Notenboom, this was very helpful and it worked a treat. Unfortunately, one of these really annoying computer guys works in our office, and after having seen that I changed the setting, he changed the settings on every computer in our office so that the new settings are not saved when the computer is shutdown.... It's a minor thing, I know, but please could you tell me what he did (changed)??? thanks a lot in advance... Posted by: Keith at July 10, 2008 12:00 PMThat sort's part of my problem, but as a photographer I have images on an external drive and want to see them as miniatures (thumbnails). Changing to Details in View changes all the external hard drives as well. What can I do. Thanx Posted by: Mitch at July 27, 2008 06:29 AMMitch, if you go into the 'View' tag in Explorer's Folder Options again, there's a check box: Remember each folder's view setting. I.e. once you set Detailed view as default, applied it to all folders, then each change from detailed view on any window you do, in your case into thumbnails, should be saved. So check that box and your problem should be solved. Posted by: Omni at July 31, 2008 10:05 AMPost a comment on "How do I get Windows Explorer to display details by default?":
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