Please bring back the ability to freely arrange icons within folders "DISABLE AUTO ARRANGE"!

Just to provide some clarification...

Windows Vista was the last Windows version where the ability to arbitrarily arrange items within a folder in Icon or Details view, with their arrangements being remembered, was enabled by default.

That feature remained fully available to enable, via registry settings, until the release of Windows 10 build 1703 (Creators Update) in 2017. From that version on, you can still enable the feature, but the manual arrangement of items within folders is not remembered.

The "Auto arrange icons" and "Align icons to grid" items, one sees at the desktop, only apply to the desktop.

Hi LesFerch, thanks for the clarification re Windows Vista, I think that version is better forgotten. I did not purchase it, thank goodness. Cheers.

I found this 2021 method to disable auto-arrange in folders in WIndows 10:
https://windowsreport.com/disable-auto-arrange-...
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Let me know if it still works. An earlier 2015 tutorial I had found when I first read your post by the best tutorial writer MVP Shawn Brink here: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/14856-enabl... says that it no longer works after Creators Update.

Feel free to ask back any questions. Based on the results you post back I may have other suggestions if necessary.

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In other words - click and drag icon to where you want it located within the folder i.e., between other icons, etc.

I just want to "disable" confounding Auto Arrange files within folders in Windows 10. I can't understand that when you leave file/folder icons in the position and order that you want and then Windows decides to mix them up. I'm continually wasting time trying to find lost data. It's ridiculous. Does anyone know or can create something that just allows you to arrange or sort files within folders, and Leave them alone, without the OS messing them up?

I want to remind you that your computer is no longer your own computer. It is now called “This Computer” and it used to be called “My Computer”. Any grievances you may have are meaningless. Windows as a Service - Experience the Difference!

Hi, Not being able to list files in order user requires is one of the worst , if not the worst, change that Microsoft made.

To rename your Windows device, go to Settings > System > About and click "Rename this PC." Enter the new name and restart your computer, and the name should be updated. Rename Your Windows Device - Microsoft Support