How to use Windows Vista Explorer

You can also specify how files within each folder should be organised. Photos can be sorted by the date they were taken, the tags (keywords) you’ve given them, their dimensions and more.

At the top of the file pane, you’ll see the criteria you can sort by. Explorer shows the most relevant criteria for the files in each folder ­ these will change depending on the selected folder, but it’s usually Name, Size and Date. If you want to search by different criteria, right-click anywhere in the file pane, select Group By and then click on More. You’ll now be presented with a seemingly never-ending list of criteria ­ simply put a tick in the boxes next to the ones you want and click OK.

Quick-launch buttons
As you use Vista Explorer, you’ll notice the quick-launch buttons on the toolbar (situated just above the folder pane) change when you enter different folders. By detecting what files lie within the selected folder, Explorer will automatically display the most appropriate buttons. For example, open a folder full of photos and you’ll notice Slide Show and Burn join the usual Organize and Views buttons. Choose a folder full of MP3s, and the Slide Show button changes to Play All, allowing you to listen to the tracks immediately.

If you’ve spent time getting a folder full of photos, for example, looking just the way you want it to, it’s worth noting that you can quickly apply the same settings to all folders containing photos. To do this, head to the menu bar at the top and click on Tools and then select Folder Options; if you can’t see the menu bar, press the Alt key to reveal it. From here, click on the View tab and click the Apply to Folders button. Now, all folders with similar contents will have the same layout settings.