File explorer and date created/modified change when copying files/folders.

Anonymous
2024-02-17T14:09:45+00:00

Dear Microsoft Wizards,

I come to you with a tale of woe, a saga of time-displaced files and folders that have lost their way in the temporal vortex of Windows File Explorer. In an age where we can chat with AI, drive electric chariots, and binge-watch shows about dragons and spaceships, I find myself anchored to a mundane reality. In reality, copying files and folders in Windows File Explorer betrays their original timestamps, casting them adrift in the present, forgetting their noble past.

Imagine a world where one could copy a file or folder without the cruel hands of the present altering their date and time stamps. A world where digital artifacts remain untouched by the ravages of time, preserving their history as meticulously as a museum curator with a penchant for organization and accuracy.

"Why not use robocopy or other command prompt utilities?" I hear you ask, your voices echoing through the hallowed halls of Redmond. Ah, but here lies the rub! While these tools are mighty in their own right, they demand a saint's patience and a wizard's expertise. Delving into the command prompt is akin to stepping into an ancient crypt inscribed with arcane commands and cryptic parameters. It is a thrilling adventure for the occasional file or two, perhaps, but Herculean labor when faced with the task of preserving the timestamps of hundreds, nay, thousands of files and folders.

So, I pray that you, the noble scribes and engineers of Microsoft, bestow upon us, the humble users, a magical feature within the Windows File Explorer itself. A feature that allows us to copy our digital treasures while keeping their temporal essence intact – no spells, no incantations, and indeed no command line rituals required.

In this quest for temporal fidelity, I stand ready to champion this cause, armed with nothing but my wit and a profound desire for user-friendly file management. Together, let us forge a new path through the annals of digital file preservation, ensuring that our files and folders may travel through the vast expanse of directories without losing sight of their origins.

Yours in time-traveling solidarity,

Luis Martinez

******@outlook.com

P.S. If this feature comes to pass, future generations will look back on this moment as a turning point in history – the day we let our files journey through time, unaltered and proud, their timestamps shining like beacons of their actual age.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-05-29T16:45:05+00:00

    I suggest a possible solution to all of the concerns expressed in this thread is for one new date field to be established by Microsoft. I'll term it "Volume Date." That date would be the date/time the file was first "created" on that volume, which LesFerch describes as the true and intended purpose of the field currently termed "Date Created," which he convincing argues has a worthwhile purpose. Then the field "Date Created" could become the actual date/time the content was first created regardless of volume, which also has been argued, and I agree, has a vital purpose. If that would create a problem of inconsistency in file formats meaning/terminology before and after my suggested improvement, then the descriptor "Date Created" could be retired in favor of "Date Originated."

    In response to LesFurch, the "Date Modified" was indeed changed in the fiasco that happened to me. But, tentatively, I believe the problem was the file archive software I was using (not a Microsoft product) was, itself, changing the "Date Modified" field in all my files to the date the archive was created and carrying forward the "Date Created" unchanged. That was not Microsoft's fault. What the software I was using did is not consistent with what you describe as the intended purpose/meaning of the "Date Modified" and "Date Created" by Microsoft. However, the maker of the archive software might say they have a different philosophy as to what the meaning of the terms "Date Modified" and "Date Created" should mean or mean to them (i.e., "take it or leave it.)

    What happened to me may not be any one person's or organization's fault, but it deprived me of BOTH the actual date I first created each file, regardless of volume, as well as the date I last modified the actual content of that file. If I live long enough I might look for old permanent backups on CD/DVD of the older work and see if I can use Robocopy to restore the correct actual dates of origin and actual dates of changes (rather than merely copying to a different volume). As it stands now, there is no way to list my files by either the date I first created it or the date I last made actual content changes. All I can do is sort alphabetically.

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  2. Les Ferch 10,361 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-08-02T13:50:57+00:00

    I am having the same problem. When I copy files from our server and past on my Win 11 PC hard drive, the date and time change. This DOES NOT HAPPEN ON MY WIN 10 PC. My IT department said there is nothing they can do. This problem started not too long ago. I depend on the date and time stamp on files for my work. This needs to be fixed. Does anyone know what to do to correct this?

    There are two solutions/workarounds posted in this thread.

    One is to rollback update KB5039212, but that is not practical for many people, especially those in a managed environment.

    The other is to add the server to the intranet zone on your computer. Your IT department should help you with that!

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-07-09T00:53:05+00:00

    Changing the creation date does not depend on where you copy from. The solution to the problem is exactly that: remove KB5039212. Unfortunately Microsoft is working rather poorly with Windows 11. I hope the problem will be resolved as soon as possible, because I had to stop Windows Update.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-07-02T01:40:29+00:00

    Thanks for posting this I thought my system had a major problem, sounds like it's the latest MS bug.

    I've noticed the same behavior of copied files from a network share getting the modified date updated. Any work around other than reverting updates?

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  5. Les Ferch 10,361 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-06-21T12:25:11+00:00

    The modified date for files copied from a network share update to the time of copying.

    I don't have this issue when copying files from my NAS. What type of network share do you have? Is that a folder shared from another Windows 11 PC or something else? I recommend posting a report via the Feedback Hub with all the details necessary to recreate the issue.

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