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

There's much more to it than that. As noted, you can still apply the registry settings that allow free arrangement of icons within folders, but, as of Windows 10 1703, the positions are not saved. The code that provided that functionality may have been completely ripped out or may be disabled. If it were disabled in such a way that it could be enabled, I'm sure we would have seen a third-party tweak for that by now. It's unlikely that anyone can build an app to add back that capability to File Explorer because developers don't have access to Explorer's source code and Explorer's add-in support is pretty much just the option to add file handlers that can be launched via a right-click. Icon arrangement in Explorer (i.e. not in a completely separate file manager), similar to what's still supported for the Desktop, would have to be provided by Microsoft.

AFAIK, Microsoft never explained why they removed the feature. Their change history blogs are very marketing-driven, so they tend to not mention features that have been removed. For example, this feature was first turned off (but not completely removed) back when Windows 7 came out, but I found no mention of the change in the blogs. It's logical that there was some reason in regards to performance, reliability, or support for newer hardware (e.g. higher dpi monitors), that drove the decision. If I ever come across an official explanation, I'll be sure to post it here.

Let Microsoft know about your desire for this feature via the Feedback Hub (press ⊞-F in Windows).

that's exactly why I came to this forum...I fully expected someone to point me to a small app that fixed the problem Microsoft created. I was sure that someone would have already created a "folders control app" (since Microsoft is so anti-let-the-customer-decide).

Ron, that is one of the reasons I need a folder that lets me grabs files and arrange them in any part of the folder that I want or need for whatever process I am about to do with them. I am a graphic designer and I need to grab photos individually and put them off in a corner of the folder so I can use them or transfer them to anther folder. And like, you, I also need to set documents and pdfs aside to arrange in a book or magazine form for uploading to the printers. I shouldn't have to rename the files to overcome a HUGE BUG that Microsoft introduced into their product. Do the people at Microsoft even care to know how their products are used by the consumers??? If they did, they would instantly start working on an update that fixes the auto-arrange problem!

Hi, this thread is not about desktop icons, although people keep introducing them. This thread about the freedom to arrange files in folders, which is impossible. It was possible with Office 2003.

I found this 2021 method to disable auto-arrange in folders in WIndows 10:
https://windowsreport.com/disable-auto-arrange-...
(Avoid ad links which intrude into editorial copy, especially avoid Restoro, PC Repair Tool and Reimage ads)

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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