File Explorer - stop folder expanding

[shank]

In File Explorer, I click a drive in the left panel and the folders automatically expand. How do I stop that?

I want to click a drive and just see the folders in the right panel. No expansion in the left panel unless I opt to click the "+" icon.

I've Googled forever trying settings and regedit changes. Nothing seesm to stop them from expanding.

I know this is a Win 10 forum, but by chance someone might be able to advise about Outlook 2019. In the left navigation panel at the bottom, there's a menu bar with shortcuts. How do I get that bar to disappear altogether?

Thanks!

 

[Regedit32]

Any chance at some point you opened File Explorer, then clicked View | Options and set your mouse click to a single click to open things rather than a double-click?

That might explain why the item in your Navigation pane is expanding there, as well as opening into the main pane.

 

[Bighorn]

There's also a small or tiny down arrow on the left of the Folder name that will expand it in the left column, sometimes hard to see and sometimes doesn't show immediately until the mouse is over the name, same for the drives, goes away when the mouse is focused elsewhere. Took me a couple of tries to get a screenshot showing the arrows on the Folders.
.

 

[oliverzofia]

1. Open Control Panel then Folder Options.
2. Now, go to the View tab and uncheck Display simple folder view in Explorer's Folders list under the Advanced Settings.
3. Finally, click OK to disable the auto-expanding.

 

[davehc]

1. Open Control Panel then Folder Options.
2. Now, go to the View tab and uncheck Display simple folder view in Explorer's Folders list under the Advanced Settings.
3. Finally, click OK to disable the auto-expanding.

? Windows 10?

 

[shank]

Re: Double-click. I have Double-click to open an item (single-click to select)

Re: Folder Options > View > uncheck Display simple folder view in Explorer's Folders list under the Advanced Settings.

I don't have have a Control Panel > Folder Options like I had in Win 7. My Win 10 has Control Panel > File Explorer Options, but no advanced options. As well, no option for Display simple folder view.

I have Win 10 Pro. See attached screenshot for CP and View options.

 

[Ahuicyauhqui]

Re: Double-click. I have Double-click to open an item (single-click to select)

Re: Folder Options > View > uncheck Display simple folder view in Explorer's Folders list under the Advanced Settings.

I don't have have a Control Panel > Folder Options like I had in Win 7. My Win 10 has Control Panel > File Explorer Options, but no advanced options. As well, no option for Display simple folder view.

I have Win 10 Pro. See attached screenshot for CP and View options.

Its unchecked and still keeps expanding. I checked hit apply, closed, double clicked a folder, saw that it still expanded. went back unchecked it hit apply and its still doing it...... so damn annoying...........

 

[JurgenDoe]

Its unchecked and still keeps expanding. I checked hit apply, closed, double clicked a folder, saw that it still expanded. went back unchecked it hit apply and its still doing it...... so damn annoying...........

I have the same damn problem with it .. I unchecked expand to open folder .. hit apply and closed the file explorer and after I reopen it the same happen again to my navigation panel

 

[Khaos526]

The solution I found for this annoying issue was to do what people suggested with the highlighting the folder in Explorer, going into the VIEW tab at the top of Explorer --> Options-->View and then since my "Expand to open folder" was unchecked already, was to check it and apply it. Then Uncheck it and re-apply it and that solved the issue.

Now that folder won't expand when I open Explorer and won't expand if I click on it either unless I manually click on the expand arrow. Hope this helps...

 

[JurgenDoe]

The solution I found for this annoying issue was to do what people suggested with the highlighting the folder in Explorer, going into the VIEW tab at the top of Explorer --> Options-->View and then since my "Expand to open folder" was unchecked already, was to check it and apply it. Then Uncheck it and re-apply it and that solved the issue.

Now that folder won't expand when I open Explorer and won't expand if I click on it either unless I manually click on the expand arrow. Hope this helps...

Nope it won't help at all ... I checked and unchecked .. if I open Explorer it is fine .. if I open antoher explorer window it will expand again .. this is annoying

 

[Khaos526]

Nope it won't help at all ... I checked and unchecked .. if I open Explorer it is fine .. if I open antoher explorer window it will expand again .. this is annoying

Yep, I rebooted my system and found it not to be sticking. I then realized that it sometimes works temporarily and then it won't work, so the annoying issue is still a problem that I wish could get fixed...

 

[JurgenDoe]

Exactly .. but as we know already from Windows system .. it has more flaws after every new installments

 

[ubuysa]

Nope it won't help at all ... I checked and unchecked .. if I open Explorer it is fine .. if I open antoher explorer window it will expand again .. this is annoying

I do not see this effect on my Windows 10 system (21H2) and AFAIK I never have.

 

[JurgenDoe]

I'm running Windows 11

 

[nawyer]

Also running Windows 11 and also have the exact same issue. So annoying! but glad I'm not alone.

Honestly thinking of ridding myself of Windows 11, nothing but hassle.

 

[Bystander008]

My solution, install Open Shell, in 'Settings for Classic Explorer' , change the Navagation pan style to 'Windows Vista'