[Fix] Windows 10 “Downloads” Folder Shows Files in Groups and Sorted by Date
I have received many emails from readers regarding this annoying issue present in newer versions of Windows 10. When users open “Downloads” folder in Windows 10 File Explorer, all files and folders present in “Downloads” folder are shown in groups such as Today, Yesterday, Last week, Last month, Last year, etc.
In other words, the downloaded files are grouped and sorted by “Date Modified” field under “Downloads” folder in Windows 10 as shown in following screenshot:
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You can see in above screenshot, files and folders are organized in groups such as today, yesterday and last week. Also the sorting is set to “Date modified” in descending order so that the new and latest files are shown at the top.
Microsoft made this change in newer versions of Windows 10 after getting feedback and suggestions from several users. Many users manually organize files and folders date/time-wise in “Downloads” folder so that they can view and open latest files immediately after launching the “Downloads” folder. It saves their time in looking for newly downloaded files.
This change was made in Windows 10 build 18298 and we told you about this change in our exclusive Changelog topic. Here is what Microsoft said about this change:
More often than not, when you download a file, you don’t change the name before downloading it. Because of that, the names aren’t always very memorable (cake_134_small_red.jpg anyone?). This makes sorting by name less optimal since it’s hard to find the file you’re looking for, so we’re updating the default sorting to show the most recently downloaded file at the top of the list instead.
That’s why newer Windows 10 versions automatically sort files and folders present inside “Downloads” folder by date modified field and displays files and folders in groups based on date.
Although it’s a good move and change in Windows 10 but there are several users who don’t like this behavior. Time stamps and labels in “Downloads” folder look cluttered and users find it annoying. They want the previous look and UI back in “Downloads” folder in Windows 10.
If you also find the new “Downloads” folder layout irritating and want to restore old layout and interface in “Downloads” folder, this tutorial will help you.
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You just need to change the group by and sort by options settings in “Downloads” folder and it’ll immediately apply the classic layout in the folder.
Following steps will help you in fixing the “Downloads” folder showing files in groups issue in Windows 10 and restoring the old sorting and layout in “Downloads” folder:
1. Open “Downloads” folder and right-click on empty area.
2. Now select “Group by” option to (None) in context menu.
It’ll immediately remove date groups in “Downloads” folder.
3. If you also want to sort files by names, click on “Name” field present in the top details header as shown in following screenshot:
Alternatively, you can right-click on empty area in “Downloads” folder and select “Sort by” option to Name in context menu as shown in following screenshot:
That’s it. You’ll get the old layout back in “Downloads” folder.
Following screenshot shows the old classic layout applied in “Downloads” folder in newer versions of Windows 10:
4. The above mentioned steps will restore old classic layout in “Downloads” folder in File Explorer only but if you’ll try to download and save a file using your web browser, the “Save As” dialog box or window will still show new layout of “Downloads” folder grouped and sorted by date as shown in following screenshot:
To fix it and restore old layout of “Downloads” folder in “Save As” and “Browse” windows as well, you’ll need to follow the same Steps 2 and 3 inside “Save as” dialog box. So right-click and set “Group by -> (None)” and “Sort by -> Name” options inside “Save As” dialog box.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you notice that after some time, Windows 10 automatically reverts back the layout of “Downloads” folder to new layout grouped and sorted by dates, you’ll need to permanently apply the old layout using the method given in following article:
How to Fix Annoying Folder View Type Automatic Change Problem in Windows
BONUS TIP:
It’s always a wise idea to move the default “Downloads” folder location in your web browser as if something goes wrong and your computer refuses to start and you need to format or reinstall Windows, you’ll lose all your downloaded files because they were stored on C: drive. So always change the “Downloads” folder location in your web browser and set it to a different drive not the system drive where Windows is installed.
Check out following tutorial to learn how to change “Downloads” folder location in your web browser:
[Tip] How to Change Downloads Folder Location in Your Web Browser
In my view, it’s not an issue. It’s a nice feature to classify the downloaded file by date because it’s Downloads folder not Documents.
This information is so basic and so obvious, it’s scary to think most people apparently would be unable to be able to comprehend it on their own.
^^ I agree that it’s easy to find but you won’t believe how many people didn’t find it and asked me via contact form.
@Rajiv
Of course, it’s a feature by design but many people didn’t like this change.
Can’t agree with frank. If you have not thought about right click in an empty area, you will not get the menu to clear the mess.
Thank you very much. this is very effective to me.
Thank you so much it worked like a charm
THANK YOU! You literally made me day with this info.
Recent changes seem to override these recommendations, and waaaaay beyond annoying, as I have several files that are random to downloads and NEED them alphabetical. I have tried all recommend FIXES and finally gave up and moved EVERYTHING to a folder in Documents Title Downloads. What a bunch of BS! Just because some programmer is lazy when “they” download, does not mean that the rest of the world “works” the same way! When will they learn that?????
Thank you so much !
It’s really helpful. Thank you very much
Thank you so much!!! I hated the old way – I always searched by file name and would have search in EACH section to see if the file name was there – this is soooo much better!
I found out you have to do this for every app installed. No universal way.
Interesting that people find it easier to download to a folder sorted by most recent. I may be working on one subject and download everything to that folder, but then don’t work on that subject it for another month or so. Windows sort by most recent then makes it hard to find a specific previous folder, because I have to look at each recent area to find what folder I want. Much better for me to have things sorted by alpha.
Can you imagine a book library catalogue system by “most recently used”?
This article is semi useless. It just snaps back to the “Microsoft/Apple Way”, i.e. not user’s choice, as soon as you try to save the change to all folders. I used to appreciate how Microsoft wasn’t Apple. But now it’s all “You have no choice and you will like it.” I don’t. For the sheep who do, wonderful! But for the majority of us, this feels like big government. I naturally go into the Downloads folder looking in alpha order. Why can’t they just let us choose?
It’s now November 11, 2022, and a Windows 10 Update switched my file grouping in my Downloads folder by day of the week, to Today, Yesterday, and Last Week. It used to group by day of the week, with spaces between each day.
I set the “Group by” to “None,” and that is better, but it gives me no spaces between the individual days. I would like to have the spaces between the days of at least the last seven days.
THANK YOU
Honestly, the behavior in the download folder isn’t that bad usually…
but I always have my browser ask for the destination of the file and must have click somewhere by mistake and enabled that behavior in a different folder… a very busy folder with subfolders arranged by name… And since the group by date last modified supersedes the “sort by name” (only the content of the group was sorted by name)… I couldn’t find some folders anymore. I couldn’t understand what was going on or even if it was a Windows 11 problem or a browser problem… then I noticed only that 1 folder had the problem… I’ve been looking for what was going on for days and your article was the first thing that sounded like my problem. And it worked, I managed to remove the group by behavior for that folder 🙂 THANKS