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
    2020-01-16T22:15:00+00:00

    This is another case of a software vendor making the mistake of thinking they know better than me how I want to do something. I'm all for adding features but make the feature availble for me to choose when to use it. Don't just force it down my throat and say it's the only way.

    If I was Okay with a vendor's "My way or the highway" attitude I would have bought a Mac.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-01-17T18:08:36+00:00

    I turned off the group by option in my folders (all of them) and they still show when I save anything. How do I turn this off completely? I need a solution! These are awful. I can't even sort my files by type any more and find anything because it's listed as "older than a week." I didn't create folders just so I could deal with searching for them every time. I created them for speed and convenience. This feature is horrific and needs a universal off switch. Or I'm just going to hit a universal off switch and go over to Chrome or Apple. Stop making things worse Microsoft! You can never leave things alone, you always make them worse.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-01-17T18:21:42+00:00

    For the Common dialogs (Open, Save, Save As), you right-click in the folder background to access the Group by option.

    Once-per-folder should be sufficient as one dialog view is shared for all apps that use the Common dialogs.

    Also, if you didn't use Apply to Folders after setting the Downloads folder view to your liking, you should do so now.

    Keith

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-01-17T19:02:07+00:00

    That. Does. Not. Work.  Not for the Downloads folder.  What you have described is how it should work, not how it does work.

    Try it.  The Downloads folder goes right back to grouping by date the very next time it is opened, whether in the File Explorer, or in a Save As dialog.

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