If you are running Windows 1903, you may discover that the files in the Downloads folder are grouped by date. This is not a bug by only a default setting. In this post, we will show you two ways to fix Downloads folder layout. To rescue your lost files in the Downloads folder, you can use MiniTool Software.
After you update your Windows to 1903 version, you may encounter different kinds of issue. One representative issue is that the Downloads folder looks a little different. The files in the Downloads folder are grouped by date.
Perhaps, you don’t like this effect and you want to fix Downloads folder layout. Actually, Downloads folder is grouped by data is not a bug on Windows 10 new version. If you don’t want the files in it are displayed by date, you can make some changes. Here, we will show you two ways.
Fix Downloads folder Layout: Change the Group by Option to None
This way can make the Downloads folder looks like its previous before updating Windows. To do this job, you can follow these steps:
- Open the Downloads folder.
- Right-click on any blank space in the folder and then click Group by from the pop-out menu.
- Select (None) from the extended menu.
These options will remove the time-based grouping methods from the Downloads Folder and that folder will go back to its previous look.
Indeed, the Group by option is not a new design in Windows 10 1903. It has been a feature of Windows for ages. However, the only bug is that Windows 10 enables it for the Downloads folder on its own.
Previously, files in the Downloads folder have no sorting and many of you may don’t know it and never use it. Additionally, (None) is not the only option you can choose to group the files in the Downloads folder. Some other options like Name, Date modified, Type, Size, and more.
If you delete some important files in the Downloads folder, you can use a dedicated data recovery software to get them back.
The Group by feature is available for all folders on your Windows computer. But why so many people are talking about the question “Why the files in the Downloads folder are grouped by date?”
The Downloads folder in Windows tends to build up with files. When you choose to download files to your computer, these files will be saved to the Downloads folder by default.
As time goes by, there will be more and more files in the Downloads folder and you may not change the names of these files before they are saved. It looks like that “files in Downloads folder are grouped by date” is a good method to sort the downloaded files.
You may don’t remember the name of the file you have downloaded but you may still remember when you downloaded it, like a week ago, a month ago, and more. Obviously, it is convenience for you to find out the downloaded files when necessary.
After you set the files in Downloads folder grouped by none, you can still set it back to date if you think it is good for the Downloads folder. Of course, you can also make such a change in other folders on Windows.
Fix Downloads Folder Layout: Disable File Grouping for All Folders
Perhaps, you want to disable the file grouping feature for all folders. Then, you can follow these steps:
- Open File Explorer.
- Open any folder.
- Right-click on any empty space in that folder and then select Group by > None.
- Go to View > Folder Options.
- Switch to the View.
- Press the Apply to Folders.
These operations will apply your group preference to all the folders you operate in the future.
If you want to enable the File Group feature again, you can go to Folder Options > View, and then select Reset Folders.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Stella has been working in MiniTool Software as an English Editor for more than 7 years. Her articles mainly cover the fields of data recovery including storage media data recovery and phone data recovery, YouTube videos download, partition management, and video conversions.