How to Re-Enable Missing Details Pane in Windows Vista and Later Explorer?

Unlike Windows XP, the common tasks pane is shown at bottom in Windows Vista and later explorer and is called “Details Pane“.

Sometimes you might find that the Details Pane is no longer shown in Explorer window. I have received many e-mails asking for its solution, so here I’m posting a detailed tutorial with screenshots to re-enable missing Details Pane in Windows Vista and later explorer:

Without Details pane the explorer window looks like as following:

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No_Details_Pane.jpg

Click on “Organize -> Layout -> Details Pane“.

Enable_Details_Pane.jpg

It’ll re-enable the Details Pane:

Details_Pane.jpg

Sometimes you might face a strange problem when the option to re-enable “Details Pane” in “Layout” menu will be missing:

No_Details_Pane_Option.jpg

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Don’t worry. It happens when Classic folder option is enabled in “Folder Options”. Go to “Organize -> Folder and Search Options” and enable “Show preview and filters” option.

Show_Preview_and_Filters.jpg

Apply it and it’ll re-enable the option to show/hide Details Pane and Preview Pane.

NOTE: If you are wondering why the Details Pane is shown at top instead of bottom in the screenshots, then you can visit following tutorial:

How to Move / Show Details Pane At Top in Windows Vista Explorer?

Published in: Troubleshooting Guides, Windows 7, Windows Vista

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

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  1. hi,
    I am using win 7 professional sp1. followed all above steps but still can’s see deetails pane. organize layout – > details pane is not available. gpedit changes are also done as suggested.

  2. My Details pane mysteriously dissapeared a few days ago and I was going c.zy trying to figure out how to get it back. With the help of your tutorial I now have it back. Thanks so much! 🙂

  3. thanks mate… have been irritated for a while without d details pane… finally got it back

  4. Thank You. Great Work. Very much appreciated. You’d think all these little but annoying problems would be solved by the Windows Vista itself, but you’d be wrong. This is just one example of a myriad of minor pains that have no resolution in Vista itself. Its a damn shame. Thanks to individuals like yourself users can overcome these damned inconveniences. Again Thanks Very Much!!

  5. This was extremely helpful, and allowed me to restore my details pane after I had accidently made it disappear. Thanks a million!
    Best Wishes,
    Terry

  6. My Details contains (Title and Subjects) mysteriously dissapeared when im using windows 7 and I was going c.zy trying to figure out how to get it back. Please help me 🙁

  7. With earlier versions of Windows, the navagation pane options could be easily set and fixed for all folders. Now it seems that every folder has different options. I’m sure this flexibility meets some users’ needs, but not mine. How do I set all folders’ options to be the same and stop what seems to be random views? I just want all views to have name.extension, size, latest date (created or modified) and type (extension).

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