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AlphaLolzFlag for United States of America

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Trouble with customization of folder view specific to folders

I'm having no luck finding a way of customizing how the icons in a folder present themselves in Windows 10.

I generally don't want previews for icons for files in windows folders.  It's a drain on performance and is of little/no value.  This isn't true for pictures, where I would like to see what's what (because I have thousands and can't just page through them to see what they are all each a picture of.

I need a way where the folder(s) I choose (pictures only) will do the picture previews, but not do the same elsewhere (particularly not for my desktop.  Alternatively, is there a way to only have previews for pictures (specified by extension)?

Is there a way to do this because every time I do this, it is an all-or-nothing affair.

Thanks
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Colleen Kayter
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  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to C: Drive, then Right Click to display the context menu.
  2. Select the Properties Command > Customize Tab. Here you can select what types of files are stored in this drive and the subfolders. It should be set to "General." If not, select General and then check the subfolders box to apply the General format to all subfolders on C:.
  3. Change the View to List or Details (I prefer details so I can sort by name, date, type, etc. when I view a folder). CLOSE FILE EXPLORER so Windows remembers your preference.
  4. Open File Explorer and navigate to your Pictures Folder and Right Click to display the context menu.
  5. Select the Properties Command > Customize Tab. Optimize this folder for Pictures and check the box to apply the same to subfolders.
  6. On the View Ribbon, change the display to the icon size you want for Pictures. Close File Explorer.

You can also change what you see when File Explorer opens and whether or not new selections open in the same window or a new window when you're navigating through it. Just click on the Options icon at the right end of the View Ribbon.

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ASKER

This doesn't address the question at all.  All this is talking about is how to change icon sizes and layout.  It doesn't tell me how to have the content of this folder be thumbnails vs. icons (and ideally all the folders below it).
What do you mean thumbnails vs. icons? The View ribbon allows you to specify whether you want to see thumbnails or filenames, while the Folder Properties Customization tab allows you to specify whether folder/subfolders contain pictures, documents, or other file types.

One caveat: if the file type is a picture (.jpg, .png, .gif, etc.), Windows will display a thumbnail if the display is set to icons vs. list or detail. No way around that. The devs assume that if it's a picture, the best way to tell you what is in the file is to show you.
No, the ribbons controls the combo of icons and filenames (an details).  It does not control whether I see the thumbnails..

There is only one place where the thumbnails seems to be controllable, which is that under Folder Options there is a check box on Files and Folders for "Always show icons, never thumbnails.  If I check this then I always have icons, but if I leave this off then I "always" have thumbnails.
Let me take another stab at explaining this.

What I want is to only see thumbnails of images for images in the Pictures folder and below.  Everywhere else I want only the icons associated with the file type.  Showing thumbnails of file contents everywhere else is an enormous distraction, particularly on a desktop.
Got it.

Navigate to a folder that is for general or document file types.
Go to View Ribbon > Options.

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On the View tab in the Options dialog box, check the first checkbox under Files and Folders, "Always show icons, never thumbnails." Click the "Apply to Folders" button above. Click OK.

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Yes, I've done that but when I do, it applies globally - which is the problem.  I cannot enable it for only the folder I'm in/on.
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Colleen Kayter
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That works.

The issue is that general user interface design is that you need to commit your choices on things on the bottom of any dialog where there are usually OK/Cancel/etc buttons.  As soon as you select that the bottom part of the dialog supersedes anything you've done in the top.  Bad GUI design, but at least it's working now.
actually, now that I've tried this it is still applying globally and not specifically - so still no answer.
Yikes! How I'd approach that?

1. View Ribbon > Options > View tab > Reset all folders
2. Select high level folders and assign folder types. e.g., Documents > Personal as General Type, Documents > Portfolio as Documents - check box for subfolders to inherit the same folder types.
3. After all high-level folders and their inheriting subfolders have been assigned type, navigate to folder you want to have icons.
4. Go to View Ribbon > Options > View tab > Check box for icons and click Apply to Folders button.
Already tried that before posting