# Windows - Permanently arrange files alphabetically

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-permanently-arrange-files-alphabetically/100451>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 27, 2002, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-permanently-arrange-files-alphabetically/100451 "2002-03-27T20:12:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-permanently-arrange-files-alphabetically/100451/1 "2002-03-27T20:12:29Z")

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All right, I know that you can rearrange files alphabetically by right-clicking and choosing “Sort by.” But this gets old real real quick. I’d like to make it automatic.

Is it possible? I’ve searched Microsoft and google, but the question is either so basic that **everyone** but me knows it, or it’s impossible and still **everyone** but me knows it.

Can anyone help?

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**Author:** ![sim0n](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@sim0n](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sim0n)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-permanently-arrange-files-alphabetically/100451/2 "2002-03-27T20:39:08Z")

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If you get a folder to view the way you want all of the rest of the folders to, You click Tools–\>Folder Options–\>View–\>Apply to all folders.

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-permanently-arrange-files-alphabetically/100451/3 "2002-03-28T00:17:46Z")

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On the same panel that **sim0n** mentions under “Advanced settings”, there is a check box that says “remember each folder’s view settings”. This allows you to have individual folders display differently.

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**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-permanently-arrange-files-alphabetically/100451/4 "2002-03-28T03:55:50Z")

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This has been asked several times before. Once you get the files sorted the way you want them, hold down control while clicking the Close button (the X in the top right corner).

You can also find it on the microsoft knowledge base. Search for reverse alphabetical order.

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**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-permanently-arrange-files-alphabetically/100451/5 "2002-03-28T18:30:49Z")

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Thanks for the answers. I tried the knowledge base, but unless you know how to phrase the question (I tried “files alphabetical order”), it’s hard to get the answer.