Windows 10: How to change default Folder View of Search Results

Hello,

After installing an update a few days ago I am encountering a number of extremely annoying issues I didn't previously have.

Whenever I use the Search Box in the File Explorer, it almost always displays the results using the "Content" view. If I switch it to my preferred "Detail" view, it seems to temporarily remember, but it forgets after I search elsewhere.

How do I make it so that whenever I use the Search Box, the File Explorer displays the results in the 'Detail' view?

Thanks.

:)

 

How can I set up a default or preferred view for folder search results, Build 14393?

How can I set up a default or preferred view for folder search results?

Windows Build 14393 has a default view for the results when I perform searches within folders. With the previous Windows 10 version, Windows would use my preferred search results view. Previously, to establish the search results view was simply to set the
view for search results after obtaining the search results in that folder. This no longer works. For example, if I perform a .jpg search in a folder, Windows always defaults to "Content" view, "Descending" order. I have never, not even once, selected this
view. No matter how many times I change the the view of the results, new searches always resolve to default Contents, Descending view.

 

Explorer saved searches default to Content View/Descending Order in spite of being saved as Xtra Large Icon/Name (Ascending)

You seem to want to find a modification that changes search results to alphabetical. You found a workaround that seemed to make this happen for you on second use.

Perhaps that workaround is the best that can be achieved.

In addition to the Ramesh Srinivasan that you provided, you might also find this TenForums thread of some use but do note that it starts off very awkwardly and there is no consensus on its results -

How to change default Folder View of Search Results - Windows 10 Forums I also appreciate that you are not trying
to achieve exactly the same result but I thought that it would still be of use.

Denis

 

You need to 'Apply' the Folder View to each category of Folders and/or Drives depending on what type of items the Folders are optimized for.

If I perform a clean install or a Reset, I will go to each 'Parent' folder or Sub-Folder in the Navigation Pane, (except This PC itself), set the view by right clicking an empty space►View (1),
then open Folder Options from within the Ribbon/View Tab (2), 'Apply to folders' (3), click 'Yes' in the dialog (4), click OK (5).

Do that for each Navigation Pane entry. Takes a few minutes but then you'll be all set.

 

That works for regular folders, but I am looking specifically at Search Results. The Apply to Folders button is not available when viewing search results. Even when searching in a folder that is in Detail view, the Search Results are almost always in Content view.

 

Set your preferred view in all areas, as per above, and your search results will render your preferred view.
You don't need to change any views after a search result.

EDIT: I see what you're saying, a folder search from within File Explorer!
I was searching straight from the Start Menu! *Redface
Lemme fiddle with that.

 

Okay,
I invoked a search, after the results populated I changed the view, closed the Explorer window.

I did so in all areas/categories and it saved my choice in all areas even after Restarting Explorer, Restarting the machine and after a cold boot.

Very interesting, I've never paid attention to that before!

Try it, your mileage may vary.

 

Clever Edwin.

I was about to post that the custom search view(s) are retained if you save the search - but I like your solution better.
Make the changes, then just close the window.

 

Still testing it out, seems to work though.

 

That appears to work. The issue now is that I don't want to have to do that for every single folder, particularly newly created folders. The setting is not being inherited. Is there a way to change the universal default from Content View to Detail View? It also uses Large Icon View when video and image files are present, but it doesn't seem consistent.

Thanks for the help btw.

 

Just apply the settings to each parent folder and it will apply to all folders and sub-folders that reside within each. The setting will carry over to newly created folders.

For example:
I apply the settings to these 14 Parent Folders, (that's about the whole PC!), takes about 10 minutes and I'm done:

 

I haven't played with this for a long time, so it might not be correct for Win10

There are two standrad search files in the Searches folder under your user folder
Everywhere
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<persistedQuery version="1.0">
<query>
<kindList>
<kind name="item"/> </kindList> <scope knownScopeID="{7c61d0a6-af7e-483a-b705-d2c5c2264656}" />
</query></persistedQuery>
Indexed Locations
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<persistedQuery version="1.0">
<query>
<kindList>
<kind name="item"/> </kindList> <scope knownScopeID="{f60163ce-2b8d-458d-ab2c-40f215767514}" />
</query></persistedQuery>
I used to modify those files to include customized presentation

Copy the existing files ... just in case

Navigate to This PC and type a period - . - into the search box (the period is a wildcard for any character)
Select and arrange the columns, sorting, grouping, etc to what you want
Select Save search from the Search tab menu
any name is fine - all you want are the customized settings in the saved search file.

<viewInfo viewMode="details" iconSize="16" stackIconSize="0" displayName="Search Results in This PC" autoListFlags="0">
<visibleColumns>
<column viewField="System.ItemTypeText"/>
<column viewField="System.ItemNameDisplay"/>
<column viewField="System.DateModified"/>
<column viewField="System.Size"/>
<column viewField="System.ItemFolderPathDisplay"/></visibleColumns>
<sortList>
<sort viewField="System.DateModified" direction="descending"/></sortList></viewInfo>
You can then paste your customized view into the two standard search files between
<persistedQuery version="1.0">
and
<query>

Once you get the hang of the syntax, it's not that bad *Eek

 

It isn't. A search on the Desktop is in Detail view, yet searches in folders on the Desktop remain Content View.

No effect. Double-clicking the saved search even opens the search results in Content View, apparently completely ignoring the viewMode="details" setting in the file.

It seems clear that the settings are saved on a folder by folder basis. Any idea where that is stored?

 

You might try navigating to your user folder and your typed sub folders (Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos)
Do a search in each - set the results to your liking, close Explorer window - on to the next folder
Wash, rinse, repeat (there's only five)

The sub folders are (or were) templates for Explorer views - they might also be templates for searches in those folder types (Docs, Music, etc)

When I tested a saved search for ext:eml, the next search I did from Explorer > This PC had the layout for the email search (from sender, date rcv'd ....). Then I searched from my Documents folder and the view of the search results was what I expected. I corrected This PC search results view and things are back to what I prefer.

That's all I can think of - I doubt each folder has a setting for search results, but the special system folders probably do

Good luck,

Bill
.

 

Hello

I have tried everything on this post and nothing worked.

I have Windows 10 Pro and since I installed Anniversary Update, the search from the Windows file explorer search box always forgets my custom view and I have to redo it every single search I do.

Has anybody found a solution that really works for this problem? @Dacomp89

Thanks! *Smile