File Explorer Green progress animation in address bar...


TheMystic

Well-known member
Power User
VIP
Local time
8:09 PM
Posts
752
OS
Windows 11
Hello community!

File Explorer in Windows fortunately allows folders to retain their individual sort settings. When sorting by date, the ideal way should be to sort files in the descending order of date, which keeps the newest file on top.

When viewing folders with a large number of files, File Explorer first launches with the default sort order by name, and then sorts it by date in descending order if the user has set it to sort by date. This happens every single time.

What this means is everytime you open the folder, you have to wait for a few seconds for File Explorer to sort the files for you and generate thumbnails, which shows the green progress animation in the address bar. This becomes annoying if the folder is a frequently accessed one.

Is there something that can be done to make this process faster so that the folder automatically opens in the user set sort order?

Thanks.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
@TheMystic
I don't think anybody knows the answer..., I don't even think Microsoft knows the answer! 🤷‍♂️

You know what else irks me?
'Size all columns to fit' only works for the items in view! If there is an item farther down, with a longer name, out of view, it doesn't re-size the column to fit that! :unsure:
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Strix
  • Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS VivoBook
I have never noticed that @Edwin I do like the idea of being able to set the columns to fit on different folders in Explorer as some need a small spacing others large and it varies folder to folder.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M18 R1
    CPU
    13th Gen Core i9 13900HX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5 @4800MHz 2x16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Geforce RTX 4090HX 16GB
    Sound Card
    Nvidia HD / Realtek ALC3254
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18" QHD+
    Screen Resolution
    25660 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    C: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    D: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    Case
    Dark Metallic Moon
    Keyboard
    Alienware M Series per-key AlienFX RGB
    Mouse
    Alienware AW610M
    Browser
    Chrome and Firefox
    Antivirus
    Norton
    Other Info
    Killer E3000 Ethernet Controller
    Killer Killer AX1690 Wi-Fi Network Adaptor Wi-Fi 6E
    Bluetooth 5.2
    Alienware Z01G Graphic Amplifier
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware Area 51m R2
    CPU
    10th Gen i-9 10900 K
    Memory
    32Gb Dual Channel DDR4 @ 8843MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia RTX 2080 Super
    Sound Card
    Nvidia
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Hard Drive C: Samsung 2TB SSD PM981a NVMe
    Hard Drive D:Samsung 2TB SSD 970 EVO Plus
    Mouse
    Alienware 610M
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Norton
Hello community!

File Explorer in Windows fortunately allows folders to retain their individual sort settings. When sorting by date, the ideal way should be to sort files in the descending order of date, which keeps the newest file on top.

When viewing folders with a large number of files, File Explorer first launches with the default sort order by name, and then sorts it by date in descending order if the user has set it to sort by date. This happens every single time.

What this means is everytime you open the folder, you have to wait for a few seconds for File Explorer to sort the files for you and generate thumbnails, which shows the green progress animation in the address bar. This becomes annoying if the folder is a frequently accessed one.

Is there something that can be done to make this process faster so that the folder automatically opens in the user set sort order?

Thanks.
What I did to help with this behavior was turnoff the deletion of the thumbnail cache so it doesn't have to rebuild every time you shutdown or reboot. Large folders will load much quicker if the cache is saved. A reg tweak in link below if you don't use winaero tweaker.

 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M17 R3
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-10750H (Comet Lake)
    Motherboard
    Alienware
    Memory
    32GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 and Intel UHD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC3281-CG
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17"
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160
    Hard Drives
    Micron 2300 NVMe 1TB
    PC SN530 NVMe WDC 512GB
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    60mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi and Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-1065G7 (Ice Lake)
    Motherboard
    Microsoft Corp.
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Plus Graphics
    Sound Card
    Omnisonic Speakers with Dolby Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.5” PixelSense Touchscreen Display
    Screen Resolution
    2256x1504
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba Memory 512GB
    Mouse
    Surface Arc Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi and Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
What I did to help with this behavior was turnoff the deletion of the thumbnail cache so it doesn't have to rebuild every time you shutdown or reboot. Large folders will load much quicker if the cache is saved. A reg tweak in link below if you don't use winaero tweaker.

I already had those two Autorun keys in the registry with value set to zero (it was there by default; I didn't create them.).

Even when I run Disk Cleanup or CCleaner, I leave thumbnails unchecked.

I don't think Windows Explorer is generating thumbnails each time, instead it is just loading them and that itself takes time for large folders. This doesn't happen when a folder has just a few files. The problem is pretty much limited to large folders with hundreds of pictures or videos, like the Camera Roll.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
I already had those two Autorun keys in the registry with value set to zero (it was there by default; I didn't create them.).

Even when I run Disk Cleanup or CCleaner, I leave thumbnails unchecked.

I don't think Windows Explorer is generating thumbnails each time, instead it is just loading them and that itself takes time for large folders. This doesn't happen when a folder has just a few files. The problem is pretty much limited to large folders with hundreds of pictures or videos, like the Camera Roll.
Hmmm, mine will load very quickly, for example a wallpaper directory I have with 435 images will load the large thumbnails as fast as I can scroll down the explorer screen. If I purge the cache then I get the annoying wait time.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M17 R3
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-10750H (Comet Lake)
    Motherboard
    Alienware
    Memory
    32GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 and Intel UHD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC3281-CG
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17"
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160
    Hard Drives
    Micron 2300 NVMe 1TB
    PC SN530 NVMe WDC 512GB
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    60mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi and Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-1065G7 (Ice Lake)
    Motherboard
    Microsoft Corp.
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Plus Graphics
    Sound Card
    Omnisonic Speakers with Dolby Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.5” PixelSense Touchscreen Display
    Screen Resolution
    2256x1504
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba Memory 512GB
    Mouse
    Surface Arc Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi and Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free

Latest Support Threads

Back
Top Bottom