Why aren't my WinXP directory files sorted in alphabetical order?

Somehow in windows XP my files are no longer in alphabetical order when I go to browse them in Explorer. I have found a way to reorganize them within Explorer but when I go to a program for example Adobe Photoshop and select my folder and then browse to find the file I want to open they are all jumbled and none of them are listed alphabetically. I have alot of files in my projects folder and it makes it a pain to have to scan all of them to find the one I want instead of just jumping to the C's, or the R's, etc. Is there a way to fix this??

Dave's Answer:

When I read your question I knew exactly what was wrong, but it's a bit tricky to show you how to fix it. The problem is that somehow you have the specified folder or directory in Windows being sorted or organized by a criterion other than the name of the file.

Here's an example of a folder in Microsoft Windows XP where you can see I have the same problem you're talking about: the files aren't in alphabetical order, making it difficult to work with the folder:

Windows XP: Directory listing not in alphabetical order

To fix the problem, we need to click on View and choose "Detail View", which then changes us from the pretty thumbnail images to a text-only display:

Windows XP: Directory listing not in alphabetical order: detail view

Again, you can see that the names aren't alphabetized, but if you look carefully for the grey triangle you'll see that it's adjacent to the "Date Modified" column title, which tells you what's going on: the files are in fact sorted from least recently modified to most recently modified (that's the triangle pointing down). Click on "Date Modified" again and the files will be shown most recent to least recent and the triangle will be pointing upward.

More importantly, if you click on "Name" instead, you'll find that the files will all be sorted by name, alphabetized, and suddenly you'll be seeing a listing like you seek:

Windows XP: Directory listing in alphabetical order

Almost done. Now go back to the View menu and again choose "Thumbnail" and you'll get back to the view you seek, with the files finally in alphabetical order:

Not the easiest solution in the world, but it'll work for you! Good luck.

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Categorized: Windows PC Help (Article 7262, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: alphabetical, detail view, sorted, windows xp, winxp
Previous: How the $#@$# do I fully remove Norton from my PC?
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Reader Comments To Date: 25

Ken said, on April 2, 2007 9:13 AM:

Can't you just use the menu choice "View / Arrange icons by / Name" instead?

Alan said, on April 2, 2007 10:49 AM:

It sounds like he is actually wanting them sorted from within a programs 'File -> Open' window.
He was able to fix it within explorer.

Ive seen this window become unorganized in the past and to fix it is the same way.
Using Photoshop as the example, when you click File -> Open, there will be a "View" icon at the top of the Open dialog (next to the New Folder icon)

Clicking that will allow you to select Details.
Now, once details is selected you have the column headers to click on, including 'Name' for alphabetical sort, or any other header you like.

Tim said, on July 14, 2007 5:18 PM:

RRGH!!! I had this problem for sooooo long. Thank you VERY MUCH for posting this so I could FINALLY fix it!

john said, on October 18, 2007 11:27 PM:

okay, now please tells us how to fix it so that the list comes up alphabetically every time. If you open or save hundreds of files a day going to details every time wastes a whole bunch of time.

Paolo said, on November 16, 2007 11:14 AM:

Click "My Computer"
Open a folder that has a view type you like or adjust it to your liking
Click "Tools"
Open "Folder Options"
activate "Remember each folder's view settings"
click "Apply to all folders"
Done

brero said, on November 21, 2007 10:56 PM:

thank you so %&/$&%& much john man!

kim said, on January 26, 2008 6:27 PM:

thanks john ! :)

glub said, on March 9, 2008 12:57 PM:

Now, why does this mean all my thumbnails disappear? Arrggghhh.

glub said, on March 9, 2008 1:01 PM:

PS - didn't actually work, anyway. Just blew all my other settings out.

Michael said, on March 22, 2008 11:24 AM:

You misread his question Dave. I have the same problem that he does and it's not fixed by sorting alphabetically in Explorer. The problem is when you're trying to browse the files and folders inside another application. I have this problem as well and I'm still trying to find a fix.

Michael said, on March 22, 2008 11:29 AM:

Oops, my bad. You did have the solution, but it just wasn't described the best. Your screen shots are from Windows Explorer, which isn't where the problem was. I just had to to through those steps in the "browse" dialog and it solved the problem.

Briana said, on March 23, 2008 2:00 PM:

I tried this, but when i exit the browse part, and click it again, the folders ae back to z-a, instead of a-z (alphabetically) any idea what i can do?

JASON said, on April 2, 2008 10:07 PM:

Im right ther with you guys: In Photoshop I have to go to details and arrange by name each time to get my files to appear alphabetically. I have tried everything listed on this board with no luck. I have also tried altering my preferences (Edit->Preferences)and messed with some of those settings with no luck. I run 2 versions of PS (CS and CS2) on my computer and they both do it! Help!

bob said, on April 10, 2008 1:35 PM:

the solution:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;229070

Paul Gundotra said, on September 21, 2008 11:07 AM:

Thanks for your helpful article like this Even though I did not ask the question but it did help me solve the same problem.
Regards,
Paul

hiwot said, on October 9, 2008 9:33 PM:

hey i just want help,it looks really easy but i can't get it.i just wanna ask hw to set my e-mail address by alphabetical order like getting my senders by order?

Mary said, on October 22, 2008 9:15 AM:

Thank you so much for this tip! This sounds like a little problem but it drives you crazy on a regular basis and slows your work down when you're on a roll. I could not figure out why my files got all screwy. What would we do without tech advice like this? Thanks again and keep up the good work. :)

Robert Moore said, on November 30, 2009 3:01 PM:

Click "My Computer"
Open a folder that has a view type you like or adjust it to your liking
Click "Tools"
Open "Folder Options"
activate "Remember each folder's view settings"
click "Apply to all folders"
Done

Posted by: Paolo at November 16, 2007 11:14 AM
That is the real answer to sort the files everywhere not only in explorer but also in "open" and "save" windows

Terri Church said, on June 21, 2010 8:16 AM:

Thanks Dave! This helped!

Neil Birch said, on November 5, 2010 8:55 AM:

Thanks for your help Dave.So easy when you know how Neil Birch

G Butkus said, on October 21, 2011 3:08 AM:

Thanks Dave!

Thuis just started happenibg to me, could not understand it

Jon P said, on January 27, 2012 10:16 PM:

The probem described above happened to me. Viewing files in explorer was fine, but viewing files in a program's finder was not: the files were sorted by date modified; and although the sort could be changed as desired (per the steps descibed above) the sort would revert to date modified upon reopening the program's finder. (note: MS programs (e.g. Word, Excel) behaved fine -- the anomoly seemed to affect only non-MS programs (e.g. Photoshop, AutoCAD, Acrobat Reader, etc.) After trying the treatments posted above, INCLUDING the "solution" posted on Microsoft's website, no luck. Then, through trial and error, I discovered the following steps, which solved the problem. Now all is right in the universe again. If none of the posts above have helped you, hopefully the following steps will. Good Luck!

In Windows XP:

1. Open Windows Explorer.

2. Under the "View" menu, click Details.

3. Look at the "Name" header (above the file list) and make sure the little gray triangle (sort direction indicator) is visible and pointing up -- if it's not, click the "Name" header once.

4. Under the "Tools" menu, click "Folder Options".

5. Click the "View" tab.

6. Click the "Reset All Folders" button.

7. Click "Yes".

8. Click "Okay" to close the Folder Options window.

9. Start the program (e.g., Photoshop) that was giving you trouble.

10. Try to open a file from within the program.

11. Is the problem fixed (i.e. are the files sorted in the order you expected)?

12. If yes, your worries are over -- go have a beer.

13. If not, you now have a new (and rather large) paperweight on your desk.

Marc said, on June 14, 2012 10:32 AM:

Thank you Dave. Your answer didn't solve my problem as it is a temporary solution, but Paolo's answer definitely did the trick. Thanks Paolo! Interesting thing is that I got this problem just after running a windows update.

RB said, on July 17, 2012 8:10 AM:

This was exactly my problem and the solution of "apply to all folders" worked! Thanks so much!

Dr. Don Edward Lacaba-Franklin said, on December 1, 2012 11:35 PM:

Hi, Dave! This is Ed here.
This computer was just delivered to me this evening by my CPA's husband who came with her as she was finishing our church financial statement, for as you see, I'm inviting an associate pastor to help me. (Her husband had volunteered to order this computer from Dell for me!) This is my 3rd Dell computer, but unlike the first two aging Dell computers, this does not seem to give me a choice of arranging my files as Modified! So, therefore I can't even find the document I've just written to send as an e-mail to my expected associate pastor!
You as an oracle you can tell me exactly how I can find it!
Thanks much for your technical know-how.
Very sincerely yours,
Ed

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

Why aren't my WinXP directory files sorted in alphabetical order?

Reader Comments To Date: 25

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

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