Solved How to change explorer address bar to always show full path text string?

ma3d · Mar 18, 2024

How can I change explorer address bar (not title bar) to always show full path text string?

Examples:
This is how it looks now.

This is how I want it to look by default:

This is what "Display the full path in the title bar" do (pls don't recommend it, it doesn't solve the problem):

antspants · Mar 18, 2024

Hi ma3d welcome to the ElevenForums

If you (I believe both works) right or left click somewhere at the end of this box here, it will turn into a full path text string that you can copy..

antspants · Mar 18, 2024

For instance, I clicked here:

To Achieve this:

Of which you can then right click on (or Ctrl + C) and copy the path.

antspants · Mar 18, 2024

As far as ALWAYS showing the text string by default, technically it already is.
But changing it to be a copyable text string as I have shown, without interaction, I do not know.

wiganken · Mar 18, 2024

Agree with @antspants - I do the same thing. It only takes one click.

Edwin · Mar 18, 2024

ma3d said:
it doesn't solve the problem

I'm curious as to what the problem is.

ma3d · Mar 18, 2024

@antspants when the path is pretty long, it cuts off the beginning. Example:

But it can be fully shown in text string

@Edwin ^ the problem.
I don't need to copy path. I just want to see full path by default.

antspants · Mar 18, 2024

ma3d said:
when the path is pretty long, it cuts off the beginning. Example

Understood, I’d have to look at that issue, I believe I came across that problem myself.

ma3d said:
I don't need to copy path. I just want to see full path by default.

In fairness, the path is there by default, just not the way you want to see it, as a text string.
When looking at it in default view, my head just converts that Breadcrumb view to the path, because it is the path.
Unless you need it as a text string to copy for use, I am not quite sure where the problem presents itself.

EDIT:

ma3d said:
when the path is pretty long, it cuts off the beginning. Example:

Sorry, I missed that.

The fact you want to see a text string instead of the Breadcrumb view that it presents is a fair request and not for me to question. I just don’t know how it would be possible unless someone knows of a registry hack, even then I would assume it is way more complicated than a registry adjustment.

Is it that if the path is very long, you can’t see it all in the default view? Is part of it replaced with the standard dots e.x Path > Path > Path> Path > …

antspants · Mar 18, 2024

I wonder if there is a way to move the address bar to be at full length of the title bar? Have you considered looking into a 3rd party explorer? I know some members here recommend one or two.

antspants · Mar 18, 2024

It may be worth your while looking at Explorer++ or XYplorer

Also…
I have not tried this nor do I know if it still works. Scroll down to: “Tip: Disable Breadcrumbs in the Address Bar”

To always show the full path instead of breadcrumbs in the address bar… etc etc…

Show Full Path in the Address Bar for Special Folders in Windows 10

Quick access contains links to Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos folders by default. When you access one of those special folder links via Quick access, the address bar shows the…

www.winhelponline.com

wiganken · Mar 18, 2024

I still don't see the problem. One click is all it takes to see the full path and it is unlikely that it is something that has to be done very often. Or is it?
Having to click once occasionally doesn't seem a problem to me. But that's me.

Good luck sorting it anyway. I am just trying to offer another way for the OP to look at the 'problem'.

antspants · Mar 18, 2024

wiganken said:
I still don't see the problem. One click is all it takes to see the full path and it is unlikely that it is something that has to be done very often. Or is it?
Having to click once occasionally doesn't seem a problem to me. But that's me.

Good luck sorting it anyway. I am just trying to offer another way for the OP to look at the 'problem'.

2 things I think I gathered from ma3d’s posts are: 1. When the path is very long it seems hard to find a place to click on it to see the full path. 2. When the path is too long it cuts out a part of the string in Breadcrumb view.
If it were to show the text string, always, neither of these things would be a problem?

wiganken · Mar 18, 2024

antspants said:
When the path is very long it seems hard to find a place to click on it

Just click on the breadcrumb itself. There is no need to look for a gap at the end. Just click anywhere.

wiganken · Mar 18, 2024

antspants said:
If it were to show the text string, always, neither of these things would be a problem

Even after clicking breadcrumb to reveal the full path the text can still overflow the URL box on right-hand-side.

antspants · Mar 18, 2024

wiganken said:
Just click on the breadcrumb itself. There is no need to look for a gap at the end. Just click anywhere.

I hadn’t realised that. I think when I tried it, it didn’t change. I’ll have to revisit it, probably something I did wrong.

antspants · Mar 18, 2024

Hopefully this works in Eleven as it does/did for Ten

To always show the full path instead of breadcrumbs in the address bar, use Open Shell, which is a fork of the excellent Classic Shell
If you don’t want to install the Classic Start menu component, you can disable it during setup and select only Classic Explorer. Or another tweaker app that may accomodate?

ma3d · Mar 18, 2024

@antspants tried OpenShell, sadly didn't work for win11.

Yes, main problem that I have to work with many of long-path directories at the same time, and Breadcrumbs view sometimes shows only last 3-4 folders in tree, replacing beginning with three dots, and it is easy too completely lost track of in which folder I am right now. And yes, sometimes there is only two pixels gap on the right that you can click for string to show up, but that's not the main problem.

In text string view all of the path usually fits because it is much more compact, I never encountered path so long that it will not fit in my regular-sized explorer window.

@wiganken clicking in any place doesn't work too, sadly. It either goes to the folder that I clicked on, gives me a list of folders in folder if I click on arrow, or just does nothing. To summon text string view only clicking on the right works.

ma3d · Mar 18, 2024

Also @antspants tried Explorer++, I think it is pretty good solution if there is no way to make standard explorer behave like I want it to, thank you!

wiganken · Mar 18, 2024

ma3d said:
clicking in any place doesn't work too, sadly. It either goes to the folder that I clicked on,

And @antspants - My mistake. Sorry. I was going from memory and mis-remembered.

antspants · Mar 18, 2024

ma3d said:
tried OpenShell, sadly didn't work for win11.

Sorry to read that, ma3d.
I have seen Explorer++ recommended by members in here before.

Solved How to change explorer address bar to always show full path text string?

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