Windows 10: Can't disable checkboxes or switch to compact mode in Explorer on brand new Surface Pro 11...

I got a new surface pro 11 yesterday, Intel version. It was a fresh a install and I didn't restore settings from another machine. The only thing noteworthy was I installed off a USB drive using Microsoft's official directions because I was switching to a larger SSD.For some reason, I can't disable file checkboxes or turn on compact mode in file explorer. Toggling the settings doesn't do anything. Restarting the system or Explorer doesn't fix it. It's like the tablet is stuck in tablet mode. Except that's not a setting Windows 11. How do I fix this?

:)

 

File Explorer Checkbox and Compact Mode in Tablet Mode (Windows 11)

I just upgraded my laptop OS from Windows 10 to Windows 11. When I flip my laptop to turn it to tablet mode, I notice that there is a checkbox for every file displayed in File Explorer. I can't get rid of it even after disabling it through View > Show > Uncheck Item check boxes (it only works in desktop mode). Is there any way to get rid of them in tablet mode? I find it quite annoying.

Also, the Compact Mode doesn't work in tablet mode. Is there any way to make it work?

 

Disable checkboxes in file explorer

I got a 2in1 Dell Laptop. I did a clean install of a Dell issued copy of Windows 10 Pro after a SSD change. After an immediate subsequent upgrade to Windows 11 Pro I had the same issue.

I coudn't disable the checkboxes. I couldn't switch to compact view. I checked the registry keys - they all were set correctly. But as it is a tablet mode issue I circumvented the problem.

For everyone who uses a 2in1 and uses it as laptop try the following:

• Open Registry Editor
  
• Go to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ImmersiveShell
  
• Set DeviceConvertible to 0
  
• Sign out and back in to your account
  

Voila, no more checkboxes and compact view also works. This cost me 3 hours of my day. By now I can send Microsoft an invoice for 100s of hours of unpaid work due to their bugs...

 

Why can't I disable Item Check Boxes or enable Compact View in File Explorer?

That is an interesting workaround that has happened for you. so now that you have it set to compact view when connected to an external monitor, it has saved those only why connected to it. Once you disconnect it, it goes back to showing the boxes in your file manager.

Can you please try the steps located here on this forum for disabling the check boxes?

https://www.technipages.com/fix-item-checkboxes...

Press the Windows and R keys to open a new Run window.

Enter control.exe folders, and hit Enter.

In the new Folder Options window, locate Use checkboxes to select items.File-Explorer-Options-use-checkboxes-to-select-items

Untick the checkbox to disable the option.

Once you have done that please restart the file explorer by closing it down and reopening.

There is also a way of correcting it via the Registry as well listed in the link above if that does not work.

Will you please let me know if those steps above help to resolve this issue, so the check boxes are gone even when disconnected from your external monitor?