How to Add Column & Settings to All Subfolders in a Folder in Windows 10/8/7 [Tutorial]

How to Add Column & Settings to All Subfolders in a Folder in Windows 10/8/7 [Tutorial]

If you have a specific column that you'd like to see in a folder and all its subfolders, you can easily apply the column setting to all folders. Let me show how you can add a column to all subfolder in a folder.

File Explorer in Windows usually shows just a few columns such as name, date, and type. But many of us would like more information to show up there. Thankfully, Windows Explorer doesn’t restrict us to the original columns only for we can add more of them from the available list.

When you browse the File Explorer, you may find the folder view, layout and other settings to different from one another. Some Folder View of files may be large, some extra large or some in Tiles form. This option gives you the flexibility to set the Folder Options as per your requirement. But if you want to set the same settings for every folder, then you can set the default option via the Folder Options. It lets you apply the changes to all the folders which has the same Template Type. By same template type, we mean file that is optimized for a typical type of files. For example, the Pictures folder is optimized for image folders. So if you apply the change to the files of Pictures folder, then the change will be applied to all image files.

Generally, the Details view is my preferred view type in the File Explorer. Mainly because it is compact and gives you a ton of information about any given file. Moreover, you can easily add additional columns to the details view of a folder to extend the information at glance. For instance, I add a length column to the videos folder to see how long the videos are.

Though the Details view is pretty good. The problem arises when you try to add custom columns to multiple folders. That is, the column is only added to that specific folder. It will not be applied to all the other subfolders in the target folder.

For example, if you have a dedicated video folder that contains several movie and tv show subfolders and set the "length" column on the video folder, the change will no propagate to its sub-folders. Simply put, you have to manually go through each folder and set the length column.

This tutorial will apply for computers, laptops, desktops,and tablets running the Windows 10, Windows 8/8.1, Windows 7 operating systems.Works for all major computer manufactures (Dell, HP, Acer, Asus, Toshiba, Lenovo, Samsung).

[sweet__ness]

I'd figured this out on my own YEARS ago and I'd forgotten how to change this setting. I skimmed through your video and found my answer in less than 30 seconds! Cheers!!!

[ULTRACOMFY_eu]

Helpful, thanks! That option is kinda buried, good to know there's still some quick, straight-to-the-point video tutorials on YouTube :)

[richardzappa]

Why was this so hard for me to find? Why did I have to do a video tutorial for this most basic thing? I was a computer technician in the 90s and, although I no longer work in the industry, I am constantly perplexed by the amount of BAGGAGE that gets in between me and my productivity in Windows. So much stupid, dumb-down access options that obfuscate the workings of the OS. Thank you for helping.

[omegarojo]

Thanks for the video Master!!... I used this trick in Windows 7 and works OK. But in Windows 10 not always works... and the subfolders don't keep the view of the parent folder.

[michaelfoster]

Many Thanks this sorted out my problem I had a job to save my personal settings it kept defaulting I wanted to add created column in the folder and save settings to always open with created where I put it Another Great Video😊

[pauladams]

Brilliant. This has bugged me for ages. Thank you

[raymiller]

Thanks man you're the best been trying to figure this out for a while. Subbed.

[zelgadis]

Thank
Works with Win 11 too :)
Now i can see all my song lengths in my music folders.

[Highnyguy]

Thank you! Been trying to figure this out for ever

[JoeO-jmuq]

Thank you! thank you! thank youu so much!! it was bugging for so long that i couldnt save the settings.

[esourteric]

Ok that worked do you have a way to universally do the “open” dialog box

[Scotlanz]

Excellent. Many thanks. I just watched a video by an English guy on this topic and I couldn't get his method to work. So it's England - 0 'Murrica - 1.
And I'm Scottish!

[papitsunami]

Nice walkthrough. Lets say I added a Company Column, how do you edit the name for the Company column? Thanks!

[JamesHawkins]

Mine does not have that column on the right side and only shows subfolders and files. I do not know how I changed that setting. I first noticed it after a recent update. How do I change it back?

[hurricanetortilla]

If I add a Category column, how do I choose which filed to put in that category???

[dalerenfrow]

I added a title column but want to add a name in it and am officially stuck. Is there a way to add data to the title column for each file? The reason I want to do this is because I can only store files using numeric values so the machine I run can read them. It's getting very confusing having just a number and no description as to what the file is.

[dbadagna]

Can you tell me how to get the columns in "Medium Icons" view? On my Windows 10 PC, the columns only appear in "Details" view, but I would like to have them in "Medium Icons" and "Large Icons" view as well.

[duprie]

It _should_ work but it doesn't. I want all my music folders to show bitrates and filetypes but I have to apply those to every single folder one by one even when I use your method. It's so frustrating, why does this simple function have to be so incredibly hard to do in Windows!

[esourteric]

Yea they always changing! Even had Microsoft on a screen share they couldn’t figure it out. It’s really effecting my work flow. I have no idea why the setting don’t stick to all folders. Like why would I want it to change?

[vigneshvikki]

HI IN MY LAPTOP WIFI IS NOT SHOWING SUDDENLY, PLS HELP ME OUT