Solved Date modified column not always updating on folders

I just received a new laptop running Windows 11 and I have a problem with the "date modified" not always updating on folders...

When I edit/update a file within a folder, the folders "Date Modified" is not always being updated. It does not appear to matter which app I use to modify the contents of the file.

- The date modified DOES NOT change if I edit a file
- The date modified DOES change if I create a new file
- The date modified DOES change if I rename a file
- The date modified DOES change if I delete a file
- The date modified DOES change if I copy a file that doesn't exist into the folder
- The date modified DOES NOT change if I copy a file that already exists into the folder

Why don't file edits update the folder last modified time? Is there a way to correct this?

Yep, this has plagued Windows users since the ancient times. There are plenty of actions that do not change the modified date of a folder, not limited to

• changing the contents of file, as you mentioned
• changing the attributes of the folder
• changing the owner of the folder
• changing a subfolder or file within it

I cannot help with the problem itself but I can suggest a utility that will examine & set folder Modified time-date whenever you tell it to.
- I tend to run it when I've been fiddling with the properties of individual files or I've been weeding things.
- I can set it up to scan through, say, my Documents folder & all its subfolders. It does not take very long & I can keep working while it's running.

NirSoft FolderTimeUpdate


Denis

pseymour said:

Yep, this has plagued Windows users since the ancient times. There are plenty of actions that do not change the modified date of a folder, not limited to

Click to expand...

Odd thing is I didn't have this issue on my old Laptop, so there must be some condition that stops it from working, instead of being more like a bug.

You think this would be something they would fix quickly.

Try3 said:

NirSoft FolderTimeUpdate

Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll give it a look.