How to Enable Folder Merge Conflict Message in Windows 8 and Later?
In previous Windows versions, if you try to copy or move a folder and if the destination folder already contains a sub-folder with the same name, Windows shows a confirmation message about folder merge conflict. The message tells you that a folder in the destination folder and the folder which you are trying to copy or move have same names. You are asked whether you want to merge the folders or not?
But Microsoft changed this behavior in Windows 8 and later OS. By default this folder merge conflict message is hidden so you don’t see any confirmation message about folder replacement.
If you want to re-enable the folder merge confirmation message in Windows 8 or later Windows versions, following steps will help you:
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1. Open Windows Explorer and click on View tab present in the ribbon.
2. Now click on Folder Options icon present at the end of the ribbon toolbar.
3. It’ll open Folder Options window. Now go to “View” tab.
4. Here you’ll see an option “Hide folder merge conflicts“. It would be enabled by default. Uncheck the option and apply the changes.
5. That’s it. Now whenever the destination folder contains a folder with the same name, you’ll be asked for folder replacement confirmation as shown in following screenshot:
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Personally I keep the option disabled as it helps me in getting the confirmation prompt before merging folders. What’s your opinion about this feature? Do you also turn it off? Feel free to share your comment…
No VG , I already had folder merge conflict enabled when I installed windows 8
Wow, that’s so stupid to create an option like this and enable it by default…
This was unchecked – enabled – by default on my Windows 8 Pro system.
What is checked directly below this option is the “Hide protected operating system files”
@Norbert (Bob) Gostischa
Vishal failed?
^^ lol. The option comes enabled by default in Windows 8. If its not enabled in a system, that means the user manually disabled the option or a 3rd party software disabled it.
PS: You can try to restore default settings by clicking on “Restore defaults” button given in Folder Options and see yourself the option will get enabled again if its somehow disabled in your system. 😉
^^NO, VG is Right
All the 4 Hide options shown in the above SS are enabled by default.
If its disabled in your OS then it must be bcoz of some 3rd party software or if your Windows came preloaded with your PC/laptop then the Manufacturer may have disabled it.
Nice info. I find a nice topic for me. Thank you VG.
Its Unchecked by default but no message box for confirmation merging….on a clean installed Windows 8 Retail…not Pre-Installed..
I am mad on Microsoft because of this option enabled by default. I lost my 5 months work while just back-upping a flash disk with some old files and folder.
Thanks for the tip. Such a stupid decision by Microsoft to enable it by default
Why would this be enabled by default? What a stupid, stupid move… Disable this now and avoid the pain later.
Well,
The confirmation of folder conflicts make perfect sense for Mac users.
The behavior of my old Mac OS X Leopard was that when you copy a folder, and it already exists in the destination , the entire content of that folder is overwritten with new content.
For example: let’s say you want to copy a folder called “pictures” with 2 photos in it.
Suppose a folder with such name already exists in the destination and it contains 1000 photos….
After the copy procedure, the destination folder will contain 2 new photos, and 998 photos will be deleted…
I learned it the hard way when I bought an Apple Mac 10 years ago…
Tried this multiple times, applied, applied to folder, disabled, re-enabled, re-started multiple times but STILL it doesn’t work! I’m stuck, cannot see duplicates in any way, it just copy-paste everything. Please help!