Windows Explorer Folder View settings

How to Reset Windows Explorer Folder View Settings to Make Vista Remember​

   Information

Vista sets the Explorer window view settings and folder type template according to what folder types are in the window. This will show you how to reset the Windows Explorer folder view settings, turn off Automatic Folder Type Discovery, and increase the folder view cache to have Vista remember the view settings, folder type template, size, or position of a specific window for when it was last closed at the specific path location.

This does not work with the sub Save As, Open With, Open in New Tab (Internet Explorer), etc.... type dialog windows through the File menu bar item though. These do not seem to be able to have their size or position remembered. For these, you can use the free program AutoSizer to resize them.

   Note

• The Windows Explorer window pane Layout settings are universal for all window templates. These are the Search Pane, Details Pane, Preview Pane, and Navigation Pane. They can only be turned on or off for all windows with the same folder template. For example, the Music Details, Music Icons, Pictures and Videos, All Items, Contacts, and Documents.
• This will have no affect on the memory for the Open, Save, and Save As dialog boxes for having them open to the same location.
• External devices (EX: USB drive) will not retain their folder view settings when turned off or disconnected from the computer.

   Tip

It has been reported that installing the Vista SP2 has helped resolved this issue of Vista forgetting folder view settings for no apparent reason.

   Warning

The exact cause of Vista losing it's memory on your folder view settings has not been found yet. This may just reset them for now to help Vista remember them again. It has been noticed that changing a lot of window folder view settings in combination with some unknown applications settings may be triggering this forgetfulness. Make sure that you do not have a setting in a 3rd party program set to clear the folder view setting cache when it is used. (EX: CCleaner - Window Size/Location cache option under Cleaner -> Advanced)

METHOD ONE

Normal Way to Reset a Folder Type View Settings

   Note

This resets the folder view settings for all folders with this same folder template type back to the default view settings. You will need to use METHOD TWO below for Vista not remembering your settings for all the folder views.

1. Open Folder Options from the Control Panel (Classic View), and click on the View tab and Reset Folders button. (See screenshot below)​

​

​

2. Click on Yes to the confirmation pop-up.​

​

3. Click on OK to close Folder Options.​

​

METHOD TWO

Reset All Folder View Settings to Make Vista Remember

   Note

• This resets all current folder view settings so they will be rebuilt when you restart.
• This will also bring back the Uninstall, Change, Repair, or Uninstall/Change buttons in Programs and Features if missing.

OPTION ONE

Automatically Using a REG File Download

​

1. Click on the Download button below to download the Reset_Folder_View.zip file and save it to your desktop.

   Note

This .reg download includes and does all of the Manual section below for you automatically.

​

​

​

2. Open the ZIP file and extract the Reset_Folder_View.reg file to your desktop.​

​

3. Right click on the downloaded Reset_Folder_View.reg file and click on Merge.​

​

4. Click on Run button in the Security Warning prompt.​

​

5. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.​

​

6. Click on YES in the Confirmation prompt.​

​

7. Click on OK in the Success prompt.​

​

8. Go to step 29 in OPTION TWO below to finish wrapping this up.​

​

​

​

OPTION TWO

Manually Through Registry Editor

​

Reset Folder View Settings :​

1. Open the Start Menu.​

​

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.​

​

3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.​

​

4. In regedit, go to:​

​

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell

5. In the left pane, right click on Bags, and click on Delete. (See screenshot below)​

​

A) Click on Yes in the confirmation pop-up window.​

​

​

6. In the left pane, right click on BagMRU, and click on Delete. (See screenshot below)​

​

A) Click on Yes in the confirmation pop-up window.​

​

​

7. In regedit, go to:​

​

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell

​

A) In the left pane, right click on BagMRU and click Delete. (See screenshot below step 8)​

​

B) Click on Yes in the confirmation pop-up window.​

​

C) In the left pane, right click on Bags and click on Delete.​

​

D) Click on Yes in the confirmation pop-up window.​

8. In regedit, go to:​

​

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam

​

A) In the left pane, right click on BagMRU if here and click Delete. (See screenshot below step 8)​

​

B) Click on Yes in the confirmation pop-up window.​

​

C) In the left pane, right click on Bags if here and click on Delete.​

​

D) Click on Yes in the confirmation pop-up window.​

​

​

9. The registry will now look like this. (See screenshot below)​

​

​

​

Disable Automatic Folder Type Discovery for Templates :​

CREDIT TO: Kristan Kenney: Confessions of a Windows Enthusiast

   Note

This will allow you to have what folder type template you set for the window instead of Vista automatically assigning a default template to it based on the contents of the window. This is when you have your folder template changed to Pictures and Videos from All Items when you put one image file in the folder.

   Note

OPTION: This is an optional section, but it is recommended. Steps 1-9 must have been done first before you do this section. If you decide to skip it, then go to step 21.​

​

​

10. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)​

​

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell

11. In the left pane, right click on Shell and click on New and Key.​

​

​

12. Type Bags and press Enter. (See screenshots below)​

​

13. In the left pane, right click on Bags and click New and Key.​

​

​

​

​

14. Type AllFolders and press Enter. (See screenshots below)​

​

15. In the left pane, right click AllFolders and click on New and Key.​

​

​

​

​

16. Type Shell and press Enter. (See screenshots below)​

​

17. In the right pane of Shell, right click on a empty area and click on New and String Value.​

​

​

​

​

18. Type FolderType and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

​

19. In the right pane, right click on FolderType and click on Modify.​

​

​

20. Type NotSpecified (or one below) and click on OK. (See screenshots below)​

   Tip

You can type any one of these values in bold below instead to apply the template as the default for all folder types. You will still be able to change a individual folder type template to what you want and have Vista remember it afterwards.

   Tip

​

Value	Description
NotSpecified	All Items folder type template
Contacts	Contacts folder type template
Music	Music Details folder type template
MusicIcons	Music Icons folder type template
Documents	Documents folder type template
Pictures	Pictures and Videos folder type template with large icons

​

​

​

​

Increase Folder View Cache Memory :

   Note

This will increase the amount of folders to be remembered for changes to the folder view settings.

   Note

OPTION: This is a optional step, but the increase will help ensure that Vista does not forget. Steps 1-9 must be done first before you do this section. If you decide to skip it, them go to step 25.​

​

​

21. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)​

​

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell

22. In the right pane, right click on BagMRU Size.​

NOTE: If you do not have the BagMRU Size value, then right click on a empty space in the right pane and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value. Type in BagMRU Size and press enter.​

​

23. Click on Modify.​

​

​

24. Dot the Decimal and type 20000 (folders) and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

   Note

5000 is the default number of folders to be remembered.

​

​

​

Deleting Local Group Policy Setting :​

   Note

This will show you how to check to see if this Group Policy setting has been set to not save the position of open windows or the size and position of the taskbar when users log off, and to delete if it is so that the changed will now be remembered at exit.

​

25. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)​

​

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer​

​

​

26. In the right pane, look to see if you have NoSaveSettings. If you do, then right click on NoSaveSettings and click on Delete and Yes to confirm deletion. (See screenshot above)​

​

27. In regedit, go to:​

​

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer​

28. Repeat step 26 if you have NoSaveSettings here as well.​

​

Wrapping it Up :​

​

29. Close regedit.​

​

30. Log off and log on,or restart the computer to apply the reset and to let Vista rebuild the registry keys with a clean slate.​

​

31. Open Folder Options.​

​

A) Click on the View tab. (See screenshot below)​

​

B) Check Remember each folder's view settings.​

   Warning

If left unchecked, Vista will ignore custom view settings for every folder and have every folder open using default settings instead. Only, uncheck this setting to force all folders to stop using display settings you have specified.

​

C) Uncheck Restore previous folder windows at logon.​

​

D) Click on OK.​

​

​

32. Make the changes you want for the opened Windows Explorer windows.​

​

33. To Apply These Changes to All the Same Folder Type Templates ​

   Tip

For more information on folder templates, see: How to Choose and Customize a Folder Type Template and Columns in Vista and How to Change the Windows Explorer Columns and Sort Order in Vista

A) Open Folder Options​

WARNING: Folder Options must be opened from within the same Windows Explorer window that you are changing or the Apply to Folders button will be grayed out.​

​

B) Click on the View tab. (See screenshot below step 31D)​

​

C) Click on the Apply to Folders button.​

​

D) Click on Yes in the confirmation prompt.​

​

E) Click on OK.​

34. To Apply Changes to Just this Window Template​

​

A) Close the window when you make your changes to the Windows Explorer window to save the folder view settings for just that one window.

   Warning

Vista will only remember the way it is when you last closed the window.

35. To Apply Changes to All Window Templates​

​

A) In step 20 above, you can change the default folder template used of (NotSpecified) to what you want instead for all folder templates without having to restart the computer again.​

​

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 a Windows Explorer Folder Type Template in Vista
• How to Change a Default Open Window Size for a Shortcut in Vista
• How to Change Windows Explorer Default Open Location
• How to Use the Windows Explorer Address Bar in Vista
• How to Enable or Disable the Menu Bar in Vista
• How to Change the Windows Explorer Columns and Sort Order in Vista
• How to Enable or Disable Folder Options in Vista
• How to Turn the Preview Pane On or Off in Vista
• How to Turn the Navigation Pane On or Off in Vista
• How to Change the Sort Order for Numbers in File and Folder Names in Vista
• How to Enable or Disable Auto-Hide for Vista Explorer Full Screen F11
• How to Hide or Show File Names in Vista
• How to Disable Auto Arrange in Vista Windows Explorer to have Free Sorting

 

[Brink]

Ok Peter,

I do not know where that is in the registry, but hope is not lost.

I ran a little experiment. If you do all the steps for Method TWO on this post, then you will be able to press WIN+E and size and position the window the way you want it and then close it. Now when you press WIN+E again, it should open in the exact same position and size you just closed it.

If for some reason it is not being remembered, then check to see if you have a 3rd party utility program that is set to clean the user history files automatically.

It works for me anyway. Let me know how it goes.

Shawn

 

[Dzomlija]

Yes, it now remembers where the window was, and its size, thanks.

At least it a workable solution for now.

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Peter.

Glad to hear it is doing what you wanted. Thank you for the feedback.

Shawn

 

[Dzomlija]

We're all here to help each other, right? If not for that, then what's the point?

Any ideas on how to determine whether fellow members are Delphi programmers, like me?

 

[Brink]

Peter,

You are exactly right. That is why I do this.

I suppose you could make a post in the General Discussion section in the Vista Forums asking for any of them to respond.

Shawn

 

[SilverDragon89]

Does anyone know if there is a way to get different view settings on different folders that are on the same folder template? I'm trying to change the column view settings on my "Personal Folder" and "Computer" folder, but whenever I change one, the other one loses it's settings. Is it possible to make it remember it's individual settings?

 

[Brink]

Hi SilverDragon89,

Welcome to the forum.

See:
How to Customize the Columns in the Folder
Type Template :
NOTE: To apply the column changes to all windows with the same folder type template, open:
- Read Tutorial and click the Apply to Folders button in the View tab.


here: - How to Choose and Customize a Folder Type Template and Columns in Vista

I am going to update it now, to make it easier to see and understand that part above. Sorry, it is kinda blended in.

Shawn

 

[SilverDragon89]

It doesn't allow me to change the folder template of the personal folder and desktop folder in the navigation pane though?

 

[Brink]

SilverDragon89,

You will need to make the changes for the personal folders from C:\Users location. It will modify the other one as well. They are linked together. To do the Desktop, you must check Also apply this template to all subfolders, then do step 8 to apply to all the same folder type templates.


- How to Choose and Customize a Folder Type Template and Columns in Vista


Shawn

 

[SilverDragon89]

It doesn't seem to work when I access them from the navigation pane though...

 

[Brink]

Are you opening the location to the window?

 

[SilverDragon89]

No, I'm opening it in the same window.

Edit:
So in other words, whenever I try to open the folder through the C: Drive, the desktop and personal folder both open the way I want it to. If I ever open the recycle bin, personal folder, and desktop folder through the desktop or the navigation pane, it seems to revert to some folder template that I do not wish to display but instead displays what I want the "Computer" folder to display, like the total size and space free.

 

[Brink]

Ok SilverDragon,

When they open the way you do not want them, make the change to how you want it and close the window. It should open back that way when you open it again from any location.

Shawn

 

[SilverDragon89]

Yeah, I've tried that a lot, though it never seems to want to stick for some reason.

 

[Brink]

You might try doing all of method two again to see if it will help. Perhaps something got messed up again.

• How to Reset Windows Explorer Folder View Settings in Vista

Shawn

 

[SilverDragon89]

Nope, doesn't seem to work. I also find it odd that "ctrl-A" and trying to select multiple files with my mouse doesn't seem to work in folders but works fine on my desktop....

Think I should just reformat the computer when I have time and see if that helps?

 

[Brink]

SilverDragon,

I do not know what else to try other than that. Do not forget to backup your data, and to have the drivers handy.

Sorry,
Shawn

 

[stevecn70]

The location of the BagMRU Size Setting is wrong in this tutorial. It is actually located at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell

It seems microsoft put the BagMRU Size values in the wrong place in the Vista Registry, MS put these values in the old locations that they were in XP.

See my attachments that show a registry trace on where explorer is looking for this value. The first screen shot is without the setting, the 2nd is with the BagMRU Size value created


The Registry file that will do everything in this tutorial including the proper cache setting is here:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU]
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell]
"BagMRU Size"=dword:00004e20

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell]
"FolderType"="NotSpecified"

 

[Brink]

The location of the BagMRU Size Setting is wrong in this tutorial. It is actually located at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell

It seems microsoft put the BagMRU Size values in the wrong place in the Vista Registry, MS put these values in the old locations that they were in XP.

See my attachments that show a registry trace on where explorer is looking for this value. The first screen shot is without the setting, the 2nd is with the BagMRU Size value created


The Registry file that will do everything in this tutorial including the proper cache setting is here:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU]
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell]
"BagMRU Size"=dword:00004e20

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell]
"FolderType"="NotSpecified"

Hi Steve,

Welcome to the forum.

The folder view cache size can be changed from either locations and change them for both locations. I ran a test and when I change the value in the tutorial at:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU Size

is also changed at the location you provided:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU Size

Thank you for providing more information on this.

Shawn

 

[stevecn70]

Are you sure? I just updated my value on in the ShellNoRoam key and it didn't change the other value. I tried on a fresh Vista32 Install that I set up in VPC and tried it there and it didn't sync anything. Explorer is still looking for that value in the location I specified. So since that is were explorer expects it to be, then might want to update the tutorial to reflect that, just to be on the safe side.

I just know that my computer constantly ran out of space for folder settings when I updated the ShellNoRoam location, but now that I have created the DWORD BagMRU Size value in the proper location, everything works now.