Add Checkboxes To Windows Explorer

If you do a lot of file manipulation in Windows 7 using the built in Microsoft Windows Exlporer interface then you will probably have needed to select multiple files that are not in a block.

Previously the only way to achieve this was to hold down the ‘Control’ key whilst selecting the files you want, and as any regular user will know, just letting go of the ‘Control’ key once while selecting the files means you’ll have to start all over again.

In Microsoft Windows 7 help is at hand with a handy little option that allow you to add checkboxes to the Explorer interface.

  1. Press the Windows key + E to open Windows Explorer
  2. Select the ‘Organize’ option from the menu bar
  3. Click ‘Folder and search options’ from the dropdown menu
  4. In the dialog box select the view tab and scroll down the box until you see an option marked ‘Use checkboxes to select items’
  5. Tick this option, and then ‘Apply’ to approve your changes.

Now when you use Windows Explorer you will see a checkbox next to each file, making it easy to select multiple, non-contiguous items