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

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-03-19T19:06:14+00:00

    Trying to follow these instructions caused 6,175 items to be copied to a folder where I will have to delete them.

    Does no one have a solution for how to reorder the items in quick access?

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  3. 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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  4. Anonymous
    2024-03-07T12:48:18+00:00

    This was a pain in the neck for me and frustrating. This solution worked for me. Thank you.

    Same problem frustrated me as well, but I found somewhere a hint which I tried, and within seconds had solved the issue.
    Open Folder options in File Explorer, go to Tab "View", scroll down to object group "Navigation pane".
    There: uncheck the box "Show all folders"
    That's all it takes, now I am fully able to arrange/rearrange/order my Qick Access objects. Still haven't found any negative bi-effects of it.

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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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