Re: Renaming files: annoying automatic re-selection of entire filename in Windows 8

Anonymous

So I think I've found a workaround that doesn't require a third party program. I simply can't reply to the original thread because it's closed, but I think my two cents may help some people since I'm having this problem on Windows 10 nearly seven years later.

It seems that, because I'm trying to rename something on dropbox, that there's a lag between me choosing to rename the file and dropbox recognizing that I'm trying to rename a file. At first, I would wait a few seconds, hit "Home" or the left arrow key, and then work on renaming the file hoping it doesn't happen again, which sometimes it does.

It seems though, that if I hit backspace (when the filename is still initially selected), ctrl+z (to undo deleting the file name), and then home (to get back to the beginning of the file name), I can use the arrow keys to move to the portion I need to rename unmolested, almost like it forces dropbox to recognize that a file is being renamed.

Original thread: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8\_1-files/renaming-files-annoying-automatic-re-selection-of/3e451ce8-282a-4638-88ee-fd9f7cca2536

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous

2024-05-07T17:32:01+00:00
Hi! I too have been driven crazy by this for years. It happens for me in Windows Explorer, whether I am navigating a Dropbox file structure or one solely on my computer (i.e., not synced to another service).

I found a solution on this site: https://www.tenforums.com/general-support/21198-file-explorer-rename-name-select-delay-interrupts-edit.html and so far it is working for me. Unfortunately (or fortunately) it requires you to stop using Windows Media Player.

Go to control panel and search for "windows features"

You should see something called "turn windows features on and off" -- click on that

There should be a pop-up window with a directory-style interface (see picture)

Uncheck "Media Features"

Probably restart

For good measure, I also uninstalled Windows Media Player. I did not test this before uninstalling WMP.

It's not a real fix but I am happy to use different players in exchange for relief from this editing curse.
This worked for me! So strange, but thank you!
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Anonymous

2024-04-29T18:26:02+00:00

Windows 8 came out in 2012. OneDrive came out 5 years before that.
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Anonymous

2024-04-29T16:50:06+00:00

I think this has been an issue in Windows since before the cloud was a twinkle in anyone's eye though. So it can't specifically be the cloud that's the cause?
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Anonymous

2024-04-29T13:59:10+00:00

Thanks for the deeper dive.

It sounds like this is because Windows has an immediate, cloud-first approach with files. Makes me wonder if a tiny sync delay would fix it.
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Anonymous

2024-04-28T18:44:47+00:00

Checking in from April 28, 2024... new Windows 11 workstation and this happens 100% of the time on a networked drive (mounted from a Synology NAS), while there are changes happening on that drive. Mind you, none of those changes are visible in the window where I'm working, but any external activity on the drive seems to drive Windows crazy and it constantly reselects the item you are trying to rename. When tried on an identical mounted drive that does not have any activity, everything works as expected.

None of the workarounds here made any difference - the problem is 100% consistently present and immediate, so that you simply cannot rename anything from the GUI while there is other activity on the drive, which is of course insanely frustrating.
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