Windows File Explorer not Centered When Opening

HDL · Nov 17, 2024

My File Explorer has recently decided to not be centered on the desktop when it opens. It used to be and I seem to remember there was some trick or specific steps one could take to get it centered again but I have not been able to fix this. Please see attachment to see what I mean. What can I do to make it open in the center of the desktop? Thanks

glasskuter · Nov 17, 2024

Position mouse on title bar. hold left click doe and drag the window to position it in the center. Close and reopen. Does it stay in the center? If not, position it again and hit F5 key. Close and reopen. Does that make the position stick?

HDL · Nov 17, 2024

glasskuter said:
Position mouse on title bar. hold left click doe and drag the window to position it in the center. Close and reopen. Does it stay in the center? If not, position it again and hit F5 key. Close and reopen. Does that make the position stick?

I tried both of what I think you meant. I am not sure what "hold left click doe" means. However, I clicked on the title bar while holding the left click button and dragged it to the center of the window and followed your reaming instructions. It still opens off center. Thanks for your reply.

I am editing it to say maybe you meant hold the left click down, and that is what I did. Sorry it took me so long to figure that out. Again, thank you.

Helmut · Nov 17, 2024

Position File Explorer window (click on title bar hold & drag to position)

Press Ctrl key + Cross right end of title bar to Close.

That should remember the last size/position of the window when you open it again.
If you use more than one instance of File Explorer do the same for each instance.

That has worked for decades here with various Windows versions and applications, and still works in Windows 11.

glasskuter · Nov 17, 2024

LOL- Sorry, my bad. Fingers (and mind) not as agile as they once were. Yes, hold left mouse button down is what I meant. Sorry it didnt work for you.

Try fooling explorer using snap. Open a file explorer window. Hover your mouse over the square to the left of the red close button. That's snap. Select any one of those smaller patterns to snap the file explorer in that position. Close file explorer and reopen. Since you didn't unsnap the window before you closed it, it SHOULD go right back to that position when it's reopened. Does it?

If so, using that title bar method,drag the window to the center and resize the window to whatever size you like by hovering mouse over outer edges until it becomes a double ended arrow and lets you drag the edges to make the window bigger. Close and reopen. Now did it stick? Please tell me yes, because I don't have any more ideas.

HDL · Nov 17, 2024

Helmut said:
Position File Explorer window (click on title bar hold & drag to position)

Press Ctrl key + Cross right end of title bar to Close.

That should remember the last size/position of the window when you open it again.
If you use more than one instance of File Explorer do the same for each instance.

That has worked for decades here with various Windows versions and applications, and still works in Windows 11.

Thank you but I tried that many times but just in case I did it again. I still doesn't work for me. I thought I remembered that trick from a long time ago. I also tried opening, positioning it, and closing it 6 times in a row. I think I remember that one from way back too but it didn't work either.

You know what, I just solved it. While talking to you here, I remembered I open File Explorer using a bat file so that I have the Classic Ribbon at the top of File Explorer like it was in Win 10, please see what is inside the red box in the attachment. As a matter of fact, I believe I got the bat file from someone here in this forum here File Explorer. What I just remembered is the bat file first opens the Control Panel and then switches to the File Explorer, sometime it takes running the bat file twice. So, I opened Control Panel by itself, moved it to where I wanted File Explorer to open, and then closed it. Sure enough it was opening off center like my file explorer was. I then opened File Explorer and it opens where it should and where Control Panel now also opens. Again, thank you.

HDL · Nov 17, 2024

glasskuter said:
LOL- Sorry, my bad. Fingers (and mind) not as agile as they once were. Yes, hold left mouse button down is what I meant. Sorry it didnt work for you.

Try fooling explorer using snap. Open a file explorer window. Hover your mouse over the square to the left of the red close button. That's snap. Select any one of those smaller patterns to snap the file explorer in that position. Close file explorer and reopen. Since you didn't unsnap the window before you closed it, it SHOULD go right back to that position when it's reopened. Does it?

If so, using that title bar method,drag the window to the center and resize the window to whatever size you like by hovering mouse over outer edges until it becomes a double ended arrow and lets you drag the edges to make the window bigger. Close and reopen. Now did it stick? Please tell me yes, because I don't have any more ideas.

Please see my post above. I forgot I was not using Windows 11 File Explorer, I am using a bat file to recreate a File Explorer ribbon like in Windows 10. Thank you for your replies.

Rollback_Jockey · Nov 17, 2024

If your version of explorer uses BAG entries in the registry like Windows Explorer they may be corrupted, search them out and delete them.

Helmut · Nov 17, 2024

I was just waiting for that reply - System mods to make things look like the Win 10 version.
Precisely why I do not use system mods, they are often problematical.

hdmi · Nov 18, 2024

Helmut said:
I was just waiting for that reply - System mods to make things look like the Win 10 version.
Precisely why I do not use system mods, they are often problematical.

FYI, he wasn't using any system mods. The batchfile does essentially the same as the shortcut from Option Two in this tutorial:

Restore Classic File Explorer with Ribbon in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to restore the classic File Explorer with Ribbon for your account or all users in Windows 11. File Explorer in Windows 10 has a ribbon, tabs, and a title bar with color. The ribbon includes common tasks, such as copying and moving, creating new folders, emailing...

www.elevenforum.com

LesFerch · Nov 18, 2024

HDL said:
I am using a bat file to recreate a File Explorer ribbon like in Windows 10.

Please note that, with the help of members @ThioJoe and @dacrone, I've made an exe that significantly improves on the batch file.

It's available here:

OldExplorer

Launch Windows 10 Explorer on Windows 11

lesferch.github.io

HDL · Nov 19, 2024

LesFerch said:
Please note that, with the help of members @ThioJoe and @dacrone, I've made an exe that significantly improves on the batch file.

It's available here:

OldExplorer

Launch Windows 10 Explorer on Windows 11

lesferch.github.io

Thank you, I will check it out.

dacrone · Nov 19, 2024

win 11 explorer is trash. glitches all the time. one of the most odd 'fixes' i have found for many location/sizing issues is to maximize it, hold ctrl and close it via the x, relaunch it, unmaximize it, size it and place it where you want, hold ctrl and close it via the x. then reopen it and should be set to the size and location you had when you ctrl closed it.

Ghot · Nov 19, 2024

I use File Explorer, with no tweaks.
I size the window, put it where I want on the screen, then just "X" to close.
It remembers where it was and how big it was, next time I open it.

If I open two or more Explorer windows... it remembers the size/location of the last one I close.

wdbrown55 · Dec 26, 2024

After trying different keyboard combinations, I found that simply Ctrl-clicking the X box makes it remember the window's last location. I have a big screen, and having to move the File Explorer window from the upper left corner to the center of the screen whenever I save a file gets old. I am a real estate photographer and have a dozen or more files in each property that I have to save, and having the Save As dialog box show up in the same place every time saves me time.

BuddhaNature · Dec 27, 2024

I use Sizer 4.0 for dealing with window sizes and positions. Used it for years, worth its weight in gold. It doesn't work with all windows especially what I'd call Windows 'System' windows – Computer Management for example – but it does work with all of the windows I commonly use. The author of Sizer isn't the greatest for providing up to date documentation but for a basic 'how to get it up and running guide' there are good instructions from user 'LastUnicorn' here: Window sizing

Windows File Explorer not Centered When Opening

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