Windows Explorer is the program that allows you to view the contents of your hard drive. There is a large variety of ways to view what is on your hard drive and we suggest you experiment with all these and determine the easiest way for you. Here we have listed the various ways to change the appearance of Windows Explorer. In Windows XP the menu bar will be present, in Vista it remains hidden from view until you press the Alt key or the F10 key making it appear.
Changing the display
Windows XP
Click on View in the menu bar or the Views button in the buttons toolbar (looks like a window with icons in it) and select:
- Film Strip – Available if there are pictures in the folder and will display the thumbnails at the bottom with a large preview of the image in the main window
- Thumbnails – Large icons of the file type or a preview of an image file
- Tiles – File type icon on the left with filename descriptions and size on the right
- Icons – File type icon above with the filename below
- List – Small file type icon with the filename on the right in a list format
- Details – Same as list type but with much more information about the file, such as, size, type, date modified, and more
Windows Vista
Click on the Views button or press the Alt key (or F10) and then click on the View menu and select:
- Extra Large, Large, Medium, or Small Icons – All give an icon with the file name and a preview of the image that is either: small, medium, large, or extra large in size.
- List – Same as above but it reads top to bottom
- Details – This view gives details of the file/folder
- Tiles – File type icon on the left with filename descriptions and size on the right
XP & Vista
Click on the Tools menu, select Folder Options, and then click on the View tab.
- Check “Show all hidden files and folders” – This will allow you see system folders and files that may be normally hidden from view
- Check “Display the full path in the title bar” – Handy to know exactly where you’re at on your hard drive, at a glance
- Check “Include description bar for left and right panes” (XP)
- You can tell Windows exactly which files to display or not display
Click on the File Types Tab (XP Only)
- You can instruct the system on what you want to happen when you double click on these particular file formats
- Highlight a folder on the left and keep typing the first letter of the folder you wish to locate
- Highlight a folder or file on the right and keep typing the first letter of the folder you wish to locate (this works only on displayed folders and files, not sub-folders)
- Click on “Tools/Search/For Files or Folders” and then type in what you know about the file or folder (the name or extension)
Arranging in Details View
- Click on any of the title bars in the right pane (if you have chosen the “Details” view) and it will automatically list the files and folders in alphabetical or chronological order, depending on which title you clicked on
- Click on the same title bar and it will list the files and folders in reverse alphabetical or chronological order
Changing the Width of the Columns
- Place your cursor over the right column divider line in the title bar and click and drag to the width you wish to make the column
- Double click on the right column divider line in the title bar and it will automatically adjust the column to the width of the largest file name.
Changing File/Folder Names – 3 Ways
- Click on the file or folder once and then again one second later
- Highlight the file and then click on the File menu and then select Rename
- Right click on the file and select Rename from the pop-up menu
Selecting files
- Individual
- Left-Click on the file
- Contiguous
- Left-click on the first file, hold the Shift key down, left-click on the last file
- Left-click and drag (from a blank area – not an icon) a box around the group of files and release the button
- Non-contiguous
- Left- click on the first file
- Hold the Ctrl key down
- Left-click on any other files you want selected while keeping the Ctrl key pressed
