Windows 10: Date Modified of all files in Downloads Folder changed to be the same date and time

I've just noticed that in my Users/'Me'/Favorites/Downloads folder that every file apart desktop.ini has had its Date Modified changed to 28/09/2021 at 11:38.I very rarely even access this folder, it seems to be MS Edge temporary storage used when I download from a website.I have no file syncing on this machine, no active Dropbox or iTunes running.I am running Window 10 Home, Version 20H2, OS Build 19042.1288This seems to be very similar or the same as people were encountering on this unresolved old thread https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/date-modified-spontaneously-chang

:)

 

Illogical date modified updating

Hi,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

I understand that the modified date is just as important as the created date within the metadata of a given file. We will look into this for you.
However, in order to get clarity and to assist you accordingly, please reply with the answers to the questions below.

1. What is the build of Windows 10 running on your system?
   
2. Was there any major change or an update on your system prior to which you weren’t facing this issue?
   
3. Is the issue only with the pictures taken from the camera or the other pictures and files within the system as well?
   

Meanwhile, I would suggest you to follow the steps below and check if it is helpful to you.

Method 1: Enable the Date Modified Column in the File Explorer.

To enable the Date modified column within the particular folder, please follow the steps below.

1. Open the Folder in which you wish to see the Date modified column.
   
2. Right-click on the
   Header for Name, date, type etc. This will give you a list of columns that can be displayed.
   
3. Select the option Date modified, clearing the tick removes that column.
   
4. Modify a file and check if it is being reflected in the Date modified column.
   

If the issue still persists, where you aren’t able to see the value in the Date modified column even after making the changes to the particular file, please follow ‘Method 2’.

Method 2: Create a new user account.

This issue could be due to profile corruption. Hence to eliminate possibilities, I would suggest you to ‘Create
a local user or administrator account’ and check if the issue persists.

Note:
You will not see all your files under your default file location. So your data will be saved under C:\users\user_name.

We await your response.

Aaron Summith

Microsoft Community - Moderator

 

Date Modified Issue

File dates can be set in two ways:

• By the editor you use. The editor may or may not modify the date stamp. Normally it does but there are exceptions.
• By a script that allows you to specify the date & time.

 

"Date Modified" of folder containing subfolders

Hi,

All that is being asked for here is how Windows works ie how it is meant to work. jaygourley isn't asking about corrupt file systems or putting forward a suggestion. Please just answer the question, somebody!

I have the same question. I add a file to a folder, say 'photos from 2017' Its date modified is updated...as you'd expect, because its contents have changed. 'photos from 2017' lives as a subfolder of 'All My Photos'. 'All My Photos's date modified does
not change when the file is added to 'photos from 2017', presumably because it still has the same contents as before...the list of files and folders within 'All My Photos' are the same ones, even if the modified date for 'photos from 2017' has changed.

This is logical in one sense, but not always what's wanted.

So the question is...can behaviour be changed (system-wide or per-folder) so that the date modified for 'All My Photos' reflects the date *anything* within it, right down to the bottom of the file tree, gets modified (ie a file is changed and saved, or a
subfolder gets a file added or deleted). So I know just from looking at the Date Modified for 'All My Photos' if something was added/changed/deleted somewhere within its tree. Or is there another attribute other than 'Date Modified' that would show this?

Ian