This tutorial will show you how to manually change the template of a drive, folder, or library for your account in Windows 11.
Windows 11 includes the default General items, Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos templates used to optimize the layout and view of every drive, folder, or library.
Windows 11 uses Automatic Folder Type Discovery to detect the contents of a folder and automatically optimize the folder for the proper template. If a folder contains a mixture of file types, Windows will use the General items template. If there is an overwhelming number of files with the same file type in a folder, Windows will automatically optimize the folder with the proper template to match the majority.
A template is just a default layout and view, you can customize the layout and view of a folder to how you like in File Explorer.
Contents
- Option One: Change Template of a Drive or Folder
- Option Two: Change Template of a Library
- Option Three: Specify Template for All Drives and Folders using BAT file
EXAMPLE: Default templates
1 Open File Explorer (Win+E).
2 Perform one of the following actions: (see screenshots below)
- Select a drive (except Windows "C:" drive) or folder, click/tap on See more (3 dots) button on the command bar, and click/tap on Properties.
- Right click or press and hold on a drive (except Windows "C:" drive) or folder, and click/tap on Properties.
- Right click or press and hold on an empty space on the background of an open drive (except Windows "C:" drive) or folder, and click/tap on Properties.
3 Click/tap on the Customize tab in Properties. (see screenshots below step 5)
4 Select the General items, Documents, Pictures, Music, or Videos template you want to optimize this drive or folder for. (see screenshots below step 5)
5 Check or uncheck Also apply this template to all subfolders for what you want.
6 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)
1 Open Libraries in File Explorer (Win+E).
2 Perform one of the following actions: (see screenshots below)
- Right click or press and hold on a library (ex: "Saved Pictures"), and click/tap on Properties.
- Select a library (ex: "Saved Pictures"), click/tap on See more (3 dots) button on the command bar, and click/tap on Properties.
3 Select the General items, Documents, Pictures, Music, or Videos template you want to optimize this drive or folder for. (see screenshot below step 4)
4 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
Specifying a template for all drives and folders will disable Automatic Folder Type Discovery.
Specifying a template for all drives and folders does not affect the Quick access, This PC, Libraries, and Network shell folders.
1 Do step 2 (undo), step 3 (General items), step 4 (Documents), step 5 (Pictures), step 6 (Music), or step 7 (Videos) below for which template you want to specify.
2 To Undo Specified Template for All Drives and Folders
This is the default setting to undo a specified template for all drives and folders.
This will reset the template and views of all folders back to default, and enable Automatic Folder Type Discovery.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 8 below.
Undo_specified_template_for_all_folders_for_current_user.bat
(Contents of BAT file for reference)
Code:
@echo off
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /F
:: To kill and restart explorer
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe
3 Specify General items Template for All Drives and Folders
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 8 below.
Specify_all_folders_use_General_Items_template_for_current_user.bat
(Contents of BAT file for reference)
Code:
@echo off
:: Resets folder view settings, window size and position of all folders
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /F
:: To reset "Apply to Folders" views to default for all folder types
REG Delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults" /F
:: Specify General Items template to all folders
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /V FolderType /T REG_SZ /D NotSpecified /F
:: To kill and restart explorer
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe
4 Specify Documents Template for All Drives and Folders
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 8 below.
Specify_all_folders_use_Documents_template_for_current_user.bat
(Contents of BAT file for reference)
Code:
@echo off
:: Resets folder view settings, window size and position of all folders
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /F
:: To reset "Apply to Folders" views to default for all folder types
REG Delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults" /F
:: Specify Documents template to all folders
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /V FolderType /T REG_SZ /D Documents /F
:: To kill and restart explorer
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe
5 Specify Pictures Template for All Drives and Folders
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 8 below.
Specify_all_folders_use_Pictures_template_for_current_user.bat
(Contents of BAT file for reference)
Code:
@echo off
:: Resets folder view settings, window size and position of all folders
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /F
:: To reset "Apply to Folders" views to default for all folder types
REG Delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults" /F
:: Specify Pictures template to all folders
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /V FolderType /T REG_SZ /D Pictures /F
:: To kill and restart explorer
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe
6 Specify Music Template for All Drives and Folders
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 8 below.
Specify_all_folders_use_Music_template_for_current_user.bat
(Contents of BAT file for reference)
Code:
@echo off
:: Resets folder view settings, window size and position of all folders
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /F
:: To reset "Apply to Folders" views to default for all folder types
REG Delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults" /F
:: Specify Music template to all folders
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /V FolderType /T REG_SZ /D Music /F
:: To kill and restart explorer
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe
7 Specify Videos Template for All Drives and Folders
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 8 below.
Specify_all_folders_use_Videos_template_for_current_user.bat
(Contents of BAT file for reference)
Code:
@echo off
:: Resets folder view settings, window size and position of all folders
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /F
:: To reset "Apply to Folders" views to default for all folder types
REG Delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults" /F
:: Specify Videos template to all folders
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /V FolderType /T REG_SZ /D Videos /F
:: To kill and restart explorer
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe
8 Save the BAT file to your desktop.
9 Unblock and run the BAT file.
10 You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt quickly open and close as the explorer process is restarted to apply the registry changes.
11 When finished, you can delete the downloaded BAT file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
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- Change Folder Layout View in Windows 11 File Explorer
- Change Folder Sort by View in Windows 11 File Explorer
- Change Folder Group by View in Windows 11 File Explorer
- Change Size of Columns Width for Folder in Windows 11 File Explorer
- Apply Folder View to All Folders of Same Template Type in Windows 11
- Apply Folder View to All Folders in Windows 11
- Reset Folder View Settings to Default in Windows 11 File Explorer
Attachments
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Undo_specified_template_for_all_folders_for_current_user.bat475 bytes · Views: 365
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Folder_views.png10.7 KB · Views: 176
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Specify_all_folders_use_Documents_template_for_current_user.bat931 bytes · Views: 208
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Specify_all_folders_use_General_Items_template_for_current_user.bat938 bytes · Views: 278
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Specify_all_folders_use_Music_template_for_current_user.bat921 bytes · Views: 193
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Specify_all_folders_use_Pictures_template_for_current_user.bat929 bytes · Views: 197
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Specify_all_folders_use_Videos_template_for_current_user.bat923 bytes · Views: 172
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