Question Disable Auto Arrange Photos in Folders?!?!??!

[blahcomp222]

OEM Windows 10 Home version 10.0. 19045 build 19045
I installed this onto my PC build about 3 years ago. I WAS able to not have it always auto arrange photos etc in folders but I did a 'Refresh without affecting your files' about a month ago and now there's no option to disable it, except only for the desktop.

I read there's .bat files etc to fix this asinine problem which the Windows developers forced on everyone for god only knows what their reasoning was behind this.


I read these .bat registry etc fixes only work for some older builds etc of Windows 10 so I'm looking for a version that will work for mine and not destroy my computer.

I have thousands of photos for eBay I need to not have frozen in a grid in a folder like this.
please advise. thanks.

edit, this dec 3 2023 post might help (and it's a pita and might destroy your computer but that seems to be the current solution, IDK I just read the first few posts then went to the last page 8 and see they're still trying to figure it out years later lol 1),
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...e/93d5ece7-4656-4a00-8f88-cf589ff8e273?page=8

 

[gardenman]

More info needed. Which folder do you want to not Auto Arrange?
Just a random folder like C:\Users\MyName\Desktop\EBayStuff ?

I think the only place I've seen the option to turn it off/on is on the Desktop.

If you are uncomfortable trying a batch file / reg file, and the info is on a safe site (such as Microsoft forums), then link to the page where it's located at, and I'll give it a try on my test system. If it's a forum, be sure to give me the post # (usually top/right of the message).

I am using the latest version of Windows 10 Home, 19045.

Edit: I tried this page: https://www.minitool.com/news/disable-auto-arrange-in-folders.html
I skipped #6 and #7 because they didn't exist in my registry.

It worked, however it doesn't remember the icon positions if you close the folder out, and reopen it. Same if you refresh it. They auto-arrange. You can move them around once again if you want.

It remembers the positions if you just minimize/restore the folder.

 

[blahcomp222]

AHHh what a sigh of relief, thank you (and the developer), that fixed it!! And the files I downloaded scanned clean with malwarebytes and Defender and PC seems to be running correctly. (I would never just download something like that, plus I've never done a registry edit despite having a PC since 2001.

Yes I know about how it sets them all back to a grid once the folder is closed and that's how my PC was for 3 years before I did the recent Refresh Without Affecting your Files, and I'm ok with it like this although I do prefer them to stay put but there IS some way to also make it remember locations when no tin grid I found the page for that last night but couldn't find it again to link it here but it's possible.
thanks again. I screened shotted the tutorial and saving the files so if I have to do this again I know this file and tutorial works at least for this current build windows10. I was thinking MS did this on purpose to push people towards windows 11 but it's still not possible to do in Windows 11 without a workaround, and this file is only for Windows 7, 8, and 10 but if MS doesn't fix this when I have to get W11, then I'll have to use the files meant for W11 which probably exists.

 

[gardenman]

I should have mentioned that you should always backup your registry before trying any edits. But it appears as if things went well anyway, thankfully.

Microsoft - How to back up and restore the registry in Windows
https://support.microsoft.com/en-au...-windows-855140ad-e318-2a13-2829-d428a2ab0692

 

[Jackwiz]

I should have mentioned that you should always backup your registry before trying any edits. But it appears as if things went well anyway, thankfully.

Microsoft - How to back up and restore the registry in Windows
https://support.microsoft.com/en-au...-windows-855140ad-e318-2a13-2829-d428a2ab0692

A Method I have used after re-arranging File icons:
Sorting and saving Images

Make a backup folder of Pictures for safety.

Open backup folder with File Explorer

Select View, Medium or Large Icons

Drag and drop some images to arrange as desired.

Hold down "Ctrl" key and type "A" to select all files in the folder

Right-Click on first image rename to anything you like.

Hit "Enter", and all images will be named with the name you chose above, followed by (2), (3), etc.

(If you don't like the result, "Ctrl""Z" will undo the last naming.)

Close folder to save renamed file arrangement. When you open the folder again, the new arrangement should remain.

Repeat as needed to sort locations of more images.
Method to save re-arranged folder layout for other programs: