Do you have the display in groups in the explorer introduced by recent versions of Windows 10 disrupts you? You can very easily deactivate it. Or simply adapt it to your tastes.
If you regularly update Windows 10 – which is highly recommended – you have probably noticed some changes in the display of the file explorer windows. Indeed, with the May 2019 update, stamped 1903 and called May Update-Refer to our practical sheet if you do not know how to identify the version of Windows 10 that you use on your PC-, Microsoft has introduced a new chronological display mode. Display which can be disturbing.
In fact, rather than conventionally displaying files of the most recent or older (or vice versa), the explorer uses a “relative” chronology, by grouping files by periods. Thus, for example, in the download folder, the files are now presented by default by dated groups, since Today (the current day), at A long time agopassing by Yesterday,, Last week,, Last monthetc.
If the idea is commendable, and even practical in some cases, it is also disturbing. Especially because the files remain mixed, even when choosing a classification by type, by size or date, in the suitable columns of the window. Not easy to find your way around, therefore, especially when you are used to the old presentation … Fortunately there are two solutions to bypass this drawback: deactivate this new display mode, to return to the old, or learn to use it by adapting it to your needs.
- Open a window in the explorer and right click on a free zone of any element – and not on a file! Even more easy than to do … If you do not see a free zone, enlarge the window as much as possible, by passing it if necessary in full screen mode with a click on the button on the middle, at the top right of the window, and right click in the right part of the information columns.
- In the contextual menu that appears, select Gather bythen, in the submenu which appears in cascade, click on (none).
- The group display is disabled. You can normally click on column titles to sort the files according to your needs, by date, by size, by type, etc.
You do not have to deactivate this display mode to find classic sorting functions: you can also adapt it to your needs.
- As described above, open a file window in the explorer and right click on a free zone of any element.
- In the contextual menu that appears, select Gather bythen, in the submenu which appears in cascade, click for example on Kind.
- This time, the files are displayed by categories according to their type (folder, application, image, video, etc.) and their extension. And you can always use column titles to change the sorting order. Or use another criterion to group by recommerating the operation and choosing size or name, for example. This is clearly the best way to combine the advantages of the two worlds, the old and the new!
Note another two small details. First, by clicking on the small arrow on the left of a category, you can fold and unfold it, to hide or display the details of its content, which offers great flexibility in the display. Then, you should know that the display is personalized for each folder: you can use the groups in a folder and not in one of its subfolders. And vary the sorting criterion from one file to another. In short, the display in groups has many advantages, when you understand how to use it …