# How to arrange files by date?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-arrange-files-by-date/645180>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 26, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-arrange-files-by-date/645180 "2012-12-26T12:57:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Standarduser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@Standarduser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standarduser)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-arrange-files-by-date/645180/1 "2012-12-26T12:57:53Z")

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> **[How can I sort files by date in Explorer in XP?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=356244)**
>
> One of the many annoyances encountered since getting Win XP is a change in Win Explorer. In Win98 when you went to a folder and got the listing of documents (say as in a worldprocessing program), under View/Arrange Icons By… you had the choice of by...

I didnt understand what they did there. I click view\>details and it fixes it, but next time i will enter a file or go out of it, itll switch back into its previous situation. Doing the “name, type, date modified” wont help also - it always reverts back.

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-arrange-files-by-date/645180/2 "2012-12-26T13:59:51Z")

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there is ‘arrange icons by’ under view for a folder, this will keep it sorted that way.

what version are you using?

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**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-arrange-files-by-date/645180/3 "2012-12-26T17:48:04Z")

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To get the setting to stick is a two-step process.

Your selection of view \> details is the correct first step.

The next step is to select tools \>folder options, and then on the Folder Options page select the View tab. Now click on the Apply to All Folders button, and this will save the view \>details selection you made earlier for all your folders.