The Complete Guide to Mastering Windows’ Notorious Downloads Folder
Over 300 million devices worldwide run Windows 10, making it the most widely used desktop operating system on the planet. With great power comes great responsibility, however, and one of Windows 10’s most notoriously irritating features is the Downloads folder’s inclination to automatically group files by date.
This "feature" may seem minor, but for power users who have carefully constructed folder hierarchies or naming conventions, it can completely disrupt workflows. Fortunately, solutions exist to permanently disable the grouping and restore order to your digital domain. We’ll cover several methods to banish grouped dates from the Downloads folder once and for all.
Downloaded: Why Automatic Grouping Happens
Back in Windows 8, Microsoft introduced the concept of "libraries" to aggregate content from multiple disk locations into one virtual folder. Libraries came prepopulated with four common folders – Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos. The Downloads folder, introduced in Windows Vista, was excluded from libraries.
How to fix files grouped by date in File Explorer?
So, if the new default, Date Modified grouping is more of an inconvenience for you, then follow the below steps to fix files in the downloads folder grouped by date in file explorer. Launch File Explorer and go to the Downloads folder. You can click on the Downloads option under Quick Access to do this.
How to Group a file in Windows 10?
Change Group By setting in Save as dialog box Download any file or right-click on any file in the browser and select Save as. Now navigate to the folder where you want to save the file. Right-click on the empty space, select Group by, choose how you want to group the files by (name, date, file size, etc), and finally save it.
However, the release of Windows 10 in 2015 brought changes. Microsoft added the Downloads folder to the Pictures library by default, enabling automatic grouping by date.
The intention was good – provide an intuitive way to sort downloaded files chronologically. But, like so many software features, individual preferences vary. Some users appreciate the automation, while power users yearn for the control and organization afforded by manual sorting.
Fortunately, disabling the grouping is simple once you know the tricks. We’ll cover several methods, from quick keyboard shortcuts to tweaking registry settings, that can scratch this irritating itch once and for all.
Un-Grouped: Fast Folder View Fixes
If you need to disable grouping quickly for a one-time fix, using the folder view options is the fastest way. Here are three easy approaches:
Method 1: Right-click to Ungroup
Right-click on an empty space within the Downloads folder, hover over "Group by" in the context menu, and select "(None)." The folder view will instantly change to the ungrouped layout.
Method 2: Use the Ribbon Menu
Open the Downloads folder and click "View" in the File Explorer ribbon menu. Click the "Group by" dropdown and select "(None)." As before, the view will immediately switch to the standard layout.
How to group files in Windows 10?
You can simply go to Downloads folder, right click on empty area and select Group by > None. However, it is worth to mention here that the Group by option in normal folders and in Save as window are different, so if you change the Group by to type in Downloads folder, it will not change in Save as window.
Why is grouping not working in Windows 11?
May not stick in the long run. Specifically, it has been reported many times, that Windows Updates cause grouping to return. Open any folder, that has grouping enabled, that is not a “library” folder. Make the Window wide enough to see all options. Select (None) from the Group by menu (in Windows 11, Group by is within the Sort menu).
Are files in Windows 11 grouped by date?
However, now, Windows 11/10 users have reported that their files in are grouped by This view makes it so that all the files are grouped by date and appear in descending order. Files in Downloads folder are grouped by date? Remove it When grouped by date, all the files and folders are separated into user-friendly dates.
Method 3: Keyboard Power
From within the Downloads folder, tap the Alt key to reveal the hidden ribbon menu. Select View > Group By > (None) via the keyboard for quick hands-free access.
These tricks switch the current folder’s view instantly. However, the setting won’t stick if you close and reopen the folder. To make the change persist, we need to dig a little deeper.
Permanently Personalized Folders
Tweaking the folder view works fine for one-off fixes. But power users need a way to permanently disable grouping in the Downloads folder. Let’s look at how to stop the time-based organization for good.
Make Defaults Stick
Right-click inside the Downloads folder and choose "Group by > (None)" as before. But this time, with the folder options pane still open, click the "Apply to Folders" button.
This forces your preferred view to become the default across Windows. Now the Downloads folder will retain your custom view, ignoring the date grouping.
Clean Your Registry
Sometimes the folder view options get corrupted or ignored. A common fix is resetting the registry keys that store folder settings:
How do I disable file grouping in Windows 10?
Disable File Grouping for all folders Press Windows + E to o pen File Explorer and open any folder. Right-click on an empty space and select Group by, and choose None. Go to the View tab, choose Options, and click on Change folder and search options. In the Folder Options window, go to the View tab, and click the Apply to Folders button.
How do I change a folder group by size?
Change the Group by as type in Downloads folder – (Check) Group by as size in Save as window (it will not change until you right-click in Save as window and change it to type or anything else). Also, the Group by option is specific to folders and once you change Group by for a particular folder, the changes will not be applied to all the folders.
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Open the registry editor by typing "regedit" into the start menu.
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Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell
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Delete the keys named "BagMRU" and "Bags."
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Sign out or restart your PC.
Now folder customizations like disabling date grouping should work as intended.
Downloads: The Final Word
While automatic organization sounds great in theory, the Downloads folder is a hotspot for user customization. Power users need flexibility to manage this pivotal central hub.
Fortunately, several simple tricks can stop grouped dates for good. From instant right-click fixes to view persistence and registry edits, you’re now equipped to tame your Downloads for maximum productivity. Temporal tyranny ends today!
For more tips on tailoring Windows 10 for power users, let us know topics you want to see covered in the comments below. And don’t forget to share this guide if it helped reclaim your Downloads folder once and for all!
How does File Explorer group files and folders in Windows 10?
In newer Windows versions, Microsoft changed how File Explorer groups and displays files and folders in some specific directories. For example, all files and folders in the Downloads folder are sorted by date. When grouped by date, all the files and folders are separated into user-friendly dates and days.
Why does group by not change in save as window?
The Group by option in normal folders and in Save as window are different, so if you change the Group by to type in Downloads folder, it will not change in Save as window. Then, if you change the Group by in Save as window, it will not change in normal folders. You can refer the below example.
How to stop File Explorer from grouping files and folders by date?
To stop File Explorer from grouping files and folders by date, you have to set the default Grouping to “None.” Here’s how to do it in simple and easy steps. Open the File Explorer. Go to the “grouped by date” folder. Click the “ Sort by ” dropdown menu. Go to the “ Group by ” option. Choose the “ None ” option.
How to group files by date in Windows 10?
Here’s how to do it in simple and easy steps. Open the File Explorer. Go to the “grouped by date” folder. Click the “ Sort by ” dropdown menu. Go to the “ Group by ” option. Choose the “ None ” option. With that, files are no longer grouped by date. Close the File Explorer.
