Vista Tutorial - Select Files - Disable or Enable Full Row Select

**Brink**

How to Enable or Disable Full Row Select in Vista Windows Explorer

Information

Normally when you move your mouse pointer over a file row in Details view in Windows Explorer to select or highlight a file, you can do this from any column. This will show you how to enable or disable selecting this file row from only the Name column (disabled) instead.

NOTE

By default in Vista, Full Row Select is enabled. To see Details view, click on Views (on toolbar) drop down arrow in the Windows Explorer window and click on Details.

CREDIT TO: Keith Miller (MVP) at this link: Keith's Windows Stuff: Disable Full Row Select

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Full Row Select Enabled
NOTE: Notice how the whole row is highlighted when selected from under any column.

EXAMPLE: Full Row Select Disabled
NOTE: Notice when you are only able to select a row from the Name column now, only part of the row is highlighted under the Name column.

Here's How:

1. To Enable Full Row Select -
A) Click on the download button below to download the EnableFullRowSelect.zip file.
B) Go to step 3.

2. To Disable Full Row Select -
A) Click on the download button below to download the DisableFullRowSelect.zip file.

3. Click Save and save the ZIP file to the Desktop.
4. Right click on the ZIP (on desktop) and click Open.
5. Click Allow for UAC prompt.
6. Extract the VBS file to the desktop.
7. When done, you can delete the ZIP file (on desktop) if you like.
8. Double click on the VBS file (on desktop), or right click on the VBS file (on desktop) and select Open.
9. Close all Windows Explorer windows and click OK. (See screenshot below)

10. Click OK. (See screenshot below)

11. Logoff and logon, or restart the computer to apply changes.

That's it,
Shawn

nkskjj · 05-13-2008

This is what I have been looking for.
Thank you!

**Brink** · 05-13-2008

Your welcome Nkskjj, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Shawn

foomonger · 07-18-2008

Is there any way to do the same thing for the list view?
That's even more annoying!

-fm

**Brink** · 07-18-2008

Hello FM, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Maybe I'm not awake yet, but where are you referring to with list view?

Shawn

foomonger · 07-19-2008

View >> Tiles > Details > LIST > etc.

I use the list view most of all, and this full-row selection drives me nuts! There's no empty space in the windows, and I keep clicking things by doing no more than bringing the window to the front, and so on.

Your hack works great for detail view (I actually prefer full row select in detail view!) but doesn't affect the list view. Got anything else in the Bit Bucket?

-fm

**Brink** · 07-19-2008

Ok FM,

DOH!

I'm awake now. LOL

Sorry, nothing like this for the List view.

Shawn