Summary: If you have multiple Explorer windows open it can be difficult to see which is which from the taskbar buttons. There's a setting for that.
I just got a new computer.
On the old one, the taskbar shows open folders correctly: "Folder Name". It makes it easy to see which one you want to click on to get the desired folder up front.
On the new computer, the tab on the taskbar shows the folder name as "C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\Desktop\Folder Name" -- and since all that doesn't FIT on the little tab, they ALL read "C:\Docume...", which means they're quite useless labels. How do I get it to just show the end folder name?
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It's actually another of Windows buried and somewhat obscure settings.
In fact, I didn't even connect what this setting was for until I got this question.
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What this question is about is the difference between:
and:
Both of these are Windows Explorer open on the same folder: "C:\Documents and Settings\LeoN\My Documents\My Music". The difference is in how Windows Explorer deals with the fact that the full path name is much too long to fit in the taskbar icon.
This brings us to our first point of clarification: Windows Explorer doesn't know or care about the taskbar or its icon thereon. In fact, most programs don't. The task bar simply uses an application's window title as the text to place in the button.
What Windows Explorer does care about then is its Window Title:
and:
Knowing that what we're really changing is the window title, all of a sudden one of Windows Explorer's buried options becomes much, much clearer.
In Windows Explorer:
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Click on the Tools menu
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Click on the Folder Options... menu item
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Click on the View tab
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In the Advanced settings: list
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Look for the setting Display the full path in the title bar
Check that, and you'll get the full path in the title bar, and in my examples, the truncated "C:/Document..." in the task bar button. UNcheck it and you'll get the folder name.
I also suggest that while you're in those settings you also click on Apply to All Folders to make your preference permanent.
Related:
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How do I get Windows Explorer to display details by default? 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.
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How can I get Windows Explorer to default to open on a directory of my choosing? You can create a shortcut to open Windows Explorer on the directory of your choice.
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Where is Windows Explorer? Windows Explorer is everywhere - yet finding Windows Explorer on the Start Menu is actually fairly difficult. We look at where Windows Explorer is, and some of the many other ways you can get to it.
Article C3608 - January 2, 2009
When I click on Tools in Internet Explorer, there is no Folder Options menu item. However, when I go into Control Panel, the Folder Options menu item is there.
Posted by: Linda at January 6, 2009 10:43 AMYou need to open an Explorer window and not an Internet Explorer window. Basically, open My Computer. From here, follow Leo's directions and all should be well for you Linda.
Posted by: Rex Williamson at January 6, 2009 10:49 AM