How to reorder items in Quick access (File explorer, Windows 11)

Anonymous
2022-12-14T15:33:05+00:00

I think my File Explorer (Windows 11) is possessed by an evil creature that enjoys rattling me. Every once in a while it decides to substitute my pinned folders with some random and mostly useless ones.

Today I decided to retry and re-organize that section of File explorer.

I am not able to sort the items I put in Quick Access. Folders are in a completely random order, not alphabetical, not based on usage. It is random.

When I try and move a folder, File Explorer put it back where it was.

This is an incredibly bad application. I fail in understanding how Microsoft is not able to provide a simple and functional File Explorer. I use also a Mac OS system and cannot belive how much better their simple Finder is. At least it enables users to organize their pinned locations as they like.

Is there anyone with a suggestion?

By the way. Besides the name, what do you think the difference between "Quick access" and "Favorites" is?

For the experts: reinstalling Windows is not an option.

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

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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  1. Anonymous
    2024-06-11T12:32:10+00:00

    This definitely worked for me. I moved one last week and couldn't figure out how to do it again until I read your post! Thank you!!!

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-04-29T11:08:48+00:00

    Same here, no change. Problem persists.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-04-29T10:14:54+00:00

    I followed the steps and nothing changed. Like everyone else here it has been bothering me a lot.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-03-07T14:06:59+00:00

    I've tried all the suggestions since I first posted this, but none have worked. I feel like giving up trying!! Microsoft have spilt file explorer in many ways such as this and not being able to drag and drop or work on the address line.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-03-02T14:52:03+00:00

    I asked my wife, a Mac devotee, if Finder keeps changing. She looked at me like I had lost my mind.

    It does seem like the new file explorer is very gradually improving, and perhaps in a few years we will have all the Win 7 functionality back. Praying for the ability to rename quick access items. Meanwhile I have to be careful that no two sub-folders can have the same name. Imagine asking Linux users to do that, with all the /etc and /bin directories.

    Thank you Anita C for the helpful image showing where you can re-arrange and where you can't. I made the same discovery but was too mortified to post it.

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