# Can I set folder View preferences in WinXP?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-set-folder-view-preferences-in-winxp/438111>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 18, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-set-folder-view-preferences-in-winxp/438111 "2008-02-18T16:25:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-set-folder-view-preferences-in-winxp/438111/1 "2008-02-18T16:25:00Z")

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This is probably a no-brainer, which would explain why I can’t figure it out.

I have a directory where I need to view all the subfolders in the same way. Every time I create a folder, I have to change the view to “Details” and add in the “Author” column. While this is a fairly straightforward manual process, I create many of these folders each day, and would really love for it to just to be automatic.

Is there somewhere (or a utility that will do this) that I can define my folder view preferences for a certain subset of folders? In other words, is there anywhere that I can say “For all folders I create here, set the view to Detailed and show the Author Column”?

(I have tried creating a “template” folder and copying that, but it just reverts back to the standard view when I copy it.)

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**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-set-folder-view-preferences-in-winxp/438111/2 "2008-02-18T19:38:15Z")

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Go into your template folder and then go to Tools/Folder Options. On the View tab there’s an option for Apply to All Folders. Click on that and you should be good to go; new folders created from that point on should follow your template. Just make sure you close Windows Explorer and then re-open it before you create any new folders and it should work just fine.

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**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-set-folder-view-preferences-in-winxp/438111/3 "2008-02-18T19:55:40Z")

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You are my hero. It works perfectly 🙂