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How to Move / Show Command Bar at Bottom in Windows 7 Explorer?

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We have posted several Windows customization tutorials in past which cover expert guides such as moving Details Pane at top, Navigation Pane at right, auto-hide Command Bar in Windows Explorer, etc:

Recently an AskVG reader “Stägämies” asked about moving Command Bar at bottom in Windows 7 Explorer. By default, Command Bar (which is also known as Folder Band or Toolbar) is shown at top in Windows Explorer. If you also want to move it to bottom, this tutorial will definitely help you.

This tutorial will help you in moving Command Bar at bottom in Windows 7 Explorer. The same method should also work in Windows Vista but we have not checked it in Windows Vista.

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We’ll take help of our favorite tool Resource Hacker in accomplishing this task. We’ll need to edit a system file Shell32.dll to move Command Bar at bottom.

Following is a preview of the output which you are going to get after following this tutorial:

Command_Bar_Bottom_Windows_7_Explorer.png

As you can see in the above screenshot, Command Bar is showing at the bottom in Windows Explorer.

So without wasting time, lets start the tutorial:

1. As we told you above, we’ll need to edit “%windir%\System32\Shell32.dll” file. So first copy Shell32.dll file from “System32” folder to some other location for example Desktop.

Note: here %windir% represents “Windows” directory which can be found in the system drive where Windows is installed. In most of the cases its C:\Windows.

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2. Now open the new file in Resource Hacker.

3. Go to “View -> Find Text” (or press Ctrl + F). It’ll open Find box.

4. Now type following String in textbox:

folderbandstyle

5. Click on “Find Next” button and it’ll show the line containing this text. It should be in UIFILE section.

6. You have to just replace “layoutpos=”Top”” string with “layoutpos=”Bottom”” as shown in following screenshot:

Move_Command_Bar_Bottom_Windows_7_Explorer.png.png

7. When you have done, click on “Compile Script” button.

8. Now press “F3” key and it’ll show the next line containing the same text. Again do the same mentioned in 6th step.

9. You’ll find 5 occurrences of “folderbandstyle” string in the file. Out of 5 occurrences, only 4 occurrences will have the layoutpos=”Top” text in them. So you’ll need to edit following 4 entries in Shell32.dll file:

UIFILE -> 12, 27, 28, 46

10. That’s it. After modifying the strings, save the file.

11. Now we’ll need to replace original Shell32.dll file present in “C:\Windows\System32\” folder with our new Shell32.dll file which we saved at Desktop or some other location.

11 a. First take ownership of “C:\Windows\System32\Shell32.dll” file using following tutorial:

Add Take Ownership Option in File / Folder Context Menu in Windows Vista and 7

11 b. Now rename it to “shell32_backup.dll” or any other name.

11 c. Now copy your new modified “shell32.dll” file from Desktop to “System32” folder.

PS. If you are using 64-bit Windows edition, you’ll also need to replace Shell32.dll file present in “C:\Windows\sysWOW64\” folder with new one.

12. Restart your system and after restart Windows will start using your new modified file and you’ll get Command Bar at bottom in Windows Explorer.

PS: If you want to move Command Bar to its default position i.e. top in future, simply restore the default Shell32.dll file from its backup.

Published in: Windows 7

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.

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Comments

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  1. Thanks for sharing this trick with us VG , will this work for XP too or it’s not possible to do it ? Thanks again VG .

  2. VG can you tell me what theme are you using? 😀 and will it work on windows xp? 😀 i love dat simple buttons
    ^^

  7. =) Now if you would also show how to remove every command/button except: Organize,New Folder,Layout and PreviewPane I would be a happy puppy.

  9. Well that wasn´t what I was looking for, I don´t want to add anything. On the contrary, I want to remove 90% of the rubbish I have no use for in the folderband =) All the useless stuff in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CommandStore\shell can I just delete or somehow disable those items there one by one?

  11. I did some Googlework, and apparently it´s impossible to remove buttons like: Print, Include in library, play, open with etc etc..Which is just stupid. Damn Microsoft should just add a rightclick option where one can choose exactly which buttons one wants/needs.And in which order. No such logic this time. At least I got rid of the Burn and help buttons..haha. Since I have nothing but pure hatred and resentment towards things I can´t change, I took the second best option: I modified the shellstyle.dll to autohide. I used this line I found that -25 works better than -28 when the folderband is at the bottom. And I also edited the .msstyles I use so the buttons and background match the windowbackground, which in this case was grey. Looks like this now: laxorm.deviantart.com/art/Orja-316655793

  15. I’m doing what you said. .system32 copying. I’m starting again. Blue screen gives. When editing with Resource Hacker. Shell32.dll digital signature deleted. i use win 10 pro please help ..

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