Disable group by in Downloads folder (Windows 10 1903)

Anonymous
2019-06-18T09:01:17+00:00

Hi, since I updated to the new Windows 1903 version the files in some folders like "Downloads" are always grouped by the date. I was able to disable this in the File Explorer itself by choosing "Group by = none". But in all kind of "Save as" dialogs from any application the group by date still appears and in those special explorer windows there is no option to disable file grouping in them. So how can I disable this globally?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2019-06-19T03:25:57+00:00

Hi Chap Sistine,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

The Group by option in normal folders and in Save as window are different, so if you change the Group by to type in Downloads folder, it will not change in Save as window. Then, if you change the Group by in Save as window, it will not change in normal folders.

You can refer the below example.

Change the Group by as size in Downloads folder - Change the Group by as size in Save as window.

Change the Group by as type in Downloads folder - (Check) Group by as size in Save as window (it will not change until you right-click in Save as window and change it to type or anything else).

Also, the Group by option is specific to folders and once you change Group by for a particular folder, the changes will not be applied to all the folders. You need to change the Group by for every folder by opening that particular folder > Press the Alt and V > Click on G > Select the Group by settings or click on Choose columns for more options.

So, once you change the Group by in Save as window, it will remain the same regardless of whichever application you open the Save as window from.

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-01-23T20:58:30+00:00

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-01-23T20:53:16+00:00

    GroupBy Date is the default for the Downloads FolderType, so you have to user Apply to Folders to set a custom default with no grouping.

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-01-23T20:25:07+00:00

    dir /ofen is MY DEFAULT.

    The BUG IS WINDOWS 10 CHANGED ITS BEHAVIOR AND NOW SETS My Default back to its default...

    BUG IT!!!

    Not a User Error!

    also, in a related thread, Microsoft chimed-in with, "There are several places in Windows 10 this is set. Explorer is set separate from Save-As is set different from Open dialogs."

    Then goes on to point to a place to set Open & Save-As Group by default...

    ...except the place they point to...

    . . .a settings place.  .  .

    ...that...

    NO LONGER PHYSICALLY EXISTS IN THIS OR ANY WORLD AT ALL IN MORE RECENT BUILDS!!!

    Windows Changing my settings arbitrarily and at apparent randomness ...

    IS A BUG!!!

    FIX IT YESTERDAY!

    ALL THIS HAVING TO RANDOMLY RIGHT-CLICK in a blank space for Save-As or Open when it has changed from the last time I already right-clicked and chise Group by 'None' the last time!!!

    BUGS, NOT BUG!!!

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-01-23T20:18:55+00:00

    Keith, Over 20 pages of complaints on this unwanted "feature" and all you can do is defend the indefensible.  Shame on you.  How do users ever make their voice heard?  We shouldn't have to spend hours and hours looking for fixes for the so called features updates bring to our computers.

    If there is a forum where people are demanding these things, where is so that those of us that find them disgusting can voice our opinions and be heard?  We came to this forum sponsored by MS in the hope of repairing a bad feature that an update forced on us. 

    Twenty pages of replies because the reply marked as 'Answer' is incomplete, when it doesn't work, people voice their frustration without reading furthur.

    I'm not defending the choice on MS's part any more than the choice they made to have Search Results default to Content view. I'm trying to explain why people are seeing what they're seeing and how to achieve the results they want.

    To a lesser extent, I'm trying to defend precise language. A "bug" causes unexpected results. Given that the Downloads FolderType definition contains this:

    we can hardly call the grouping "unexpected".

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