How to Disable Full Row Select Functionality in Windows Vista Explorer?

In Windows Vista, if you are using “Details” view in Explorer you have noticed that when you hover mouse cursor over any item, it highlights or selects the full row. This behavior is different than the previous Windows versions.

In previous Windows like XP, only the file/folder name was selected instead of the full row. So if you want the same functionality in Windows Vista i.e. want to disable the “Full Row Select” functionality in Explorer, then follow this tutorial.

Before applying this tutorial:

After applying this tutorial:

1. Open regedit and goto:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\Advanced

2. In right-side pane, create a new DWORD value FullRowSelect and keep its value to 0

3. After applying this tweak, if you create a new folder it’ll have the Full Row Select functionality disabled. But the existing folders will still have the Full Row Select functionality enabled.

4. To disable Full Row Select functionality in all existing folders as well, goto following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\ Windows\Shell

and delete “Bags” key under it.

5. Again goto following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\Streams

And delete “Defaults” key under it.

6. Log off and now the “Full Row Select” functionality will be disabled in all existing as well as new folders.

If you want an automated batch script to do the whole task, then download the following ZIP file, extract it and then run the .vbs file. Thanks to “Keith Miller”, my fellow MVP for creating these batch files.

Download Batch Script

Download the Undo Script

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3 Replies:

Rob said:

Is there a way apply this same change to Outlook 2007 on XP and Vista? I’m constantly selecting folders I don’t mean to select because the entire width of the Folder list is now a region that can be clicked to select a folder.

In Outlook 2003 you had to actually click the folder.
Ramesh said:

Nice Find thanx VG
VG said:

^^ Welcome.
@Rob
Sorry but atm there is now way to disable it in Outlook 2007 IMO.