This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
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.
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.
Oops, I had posted that reorder QA no longer works for me, but it does in fact. I was looking under Home and trying to reorder in the folder list on the right for Home. However, looking below OneDrive and above Dropbox, This PC, I find the QA's at the left with the little pins to their right. On that listing I am able to reorder, with all Nav Pane boxes cleared except Show this PC - as I posted last night. Cheers, for me anyway ;) ? :(
R
This tip was not sufficient for me.
I found it necessary to clear all checkboxes except show This PC under Navigation in the folders options.
That is in my hands on Windows 11 Pro Academic (got from my school).
I wept for joy on figuring this out.
OMG! That worked! What that has to do with anything, I have no idea. I also had a weird formatting thing that was causing the two horizontal lines to be gone and now they are back. I could kiss you I am so happy! This kind of thing fills me with rage and you have saved me lots of miserable hours of cursing at my computer as I work. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!
Seems I have a newer version of Win 11 Enterprise. My left pane in Windows Explorer starts with
Home
Gallery
One Drive (many folders here)
then a separator line
then Quick Access
I can rearrange the order of items pinned in Quick Access but the whole Quick Access section is near the bottom instead of the top. I know it might seem like no big deal but I have so much under One Drive that it makes Quick Access not so quick to find.
Sounds like you dropped the folder you were trying to move on another folder rather than in between. As you drag, you should see a solid line between two folders. At that point, drop the folder and it will sit between those two folders. This works only if you follow those instructions.
