# can't sort search results on Windows XP

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-sort-search-results-on-windows-xp/122013>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 2, 2002, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-sort-search-results-on-windows-xp/122013 "2002-08-02T13:46:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-sort-search-results-on-windows-xp/122013/1 "2002-08-02T13:46:07Z")

</div>

When I do a file search on Windows XP Home Edition - using either classic style search or internet search - and the results are in details view, I can not arrange the results by any of the columns besides “Name”. I click on “In Folder”, “Size” or “Date Modified” and the results stay exactly in the same order.

Any ideas?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-sort-search-results-on-windows-xp/122013/2 "2002-08-02T18:16:04Z")

</div>

Try right-clicking in the middle of the window. One of the choices should be **Arrange icons by**.

Alternatively, check along the left side of the search window for the heading **You may also want to…**. Try clicking **Sort results by category** and choosing one of the options under it.

Clicking the column headings is _supposed_ to work. No idea what would cause it to malfunction.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2002, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-sort-search-results-on-windows-xp/122013/3 "2002-08-03T17:48:04Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Number \*  
> \*\*Try right-clicking in the middle of the window. One of the choices should be **Arrange icons by**.

Nope. Still doesn’t work.

> [@](#):
>
> Alternatively, check along the left side of the search window for the heading **You may also want to…**. Try clicking **Sort results by category** and choosing one of the options under it.

Sorry, I don’t see that option, either in classic or internet search.

> [@](#):
>
> Clicking the column headings is _supposed_ to work. No idea what would cause it to malfunction. \*\*

Any idea where the registry settings are that affect this?