Windows 101 - File Management

Windows 101: File Explorer

In this lesson, we’ll cover how to use File Explorer to view, manage, and organize your files and folders in Windows. Now that you understand file management theory, let’s dive into the practical aspects of how to use this essential tool.

Opening File Explorer

There are several ways to open File Explorer:

Taskbar: Click the File Explorer icon (a folder) on the Taskbar.
Start Menu: Open the Start Menu, type File Explorer, and select it from the search results.
Start Menu Context Menu: Right-click on the Start Menu and select File Explorer from the menu.

Note: To pin File Explorer to your Taskbar permanently, right-click its icon in the Taskbar after opening it and select Pin to Taskbar.

Navigating File Explorer

File Explorer has several sections that help you navigate through your files:

Navigation Pane: On the left, shows your frequently used folders, such as Documents and Downloads, as well as drives like This PC.
Address Bar: Shows the current folder location. Click parts of the path to move backward or forward within folders.
File View Area: This is where you see the files and folders in the current location.
File Explorer Area

Viewing and Sorting Files

You can customize how files and folders are displayed:

View Options: Click the View tab at the top to change the display (e.g., icons, lists, or details).

File Explorer Views

Sorting Files: In Details view, you can click column headers to sort by name, date, type, or size, making it easier to organize your files.

File Explorer Sorting Options

Selecting Multiple Files

File Explorer allows you to select multiple files to perform actions on several at once. Here’s how:

Shift-click: Click the first file, hold Shift, and click the last file in the list. All files between the two will be selected.
Ctrl-click: Hold Ctrl and click individual files to select multiple files without selecting everything in between.
Drag: Click and drag your mouse over a group of files to select them all at once.

Once selected, you can apply any file operation (like copy, move, or delete) to the group of files.

Creating Folders

To create a new folder for organizing your files:

Navigate to the folder where you want to create the new folder.
Right-click in the File View Area and select New, then Folder.
Type the name for your new folder and press Enter.

Create New Folder

Moving and Copying Files

File Explorer allows you to move or copy files to different locations:

Move: Click and drag a file to a new location in the Navigation Pane or File View Area.
Copy: Right-click the file and select Copy. Navigate to the new location, right-click, and select Paste.

Both operations can be done on multiple files at once, using the selection methods mentioned earlier.

[gif] showing how to move and copy files

Searching for Files

To search for a file:

Click the Search box in the upper-right corner of the File View Area.
Start typing the file or folder name. File Explorer will display matching results as you type.

[gif] showing the search function in action

Deleting Files

To delete files or folders:

Right-click the file or folder you want to delete and select Delete.
The item will be moved to the Recycle Bin, where you can restore it later if needed.

If you want to permanently delete files, empty the Recycle Bin:

Right-click the Recycle Bin icon on your Desktop.
Select Empty Recycle Bin.

Warning: Once the Recycle Bin is emptied, files are permanently deleted, and not even IT can recover them.

[gif] showing how to delete files and empty the Recycle Bin

Renaming Files or Folders

To rename a file or folder:

Right-click the file or folder and select Rename.
Type the new name and press Enter.

[gif] demonstrating how to rename a file

Now that you know how to use File Explorer, you’ll be able to efficiently manage your files and folders, keeping your workspace organized. In the next lesson, we’ll dive into Security Basics, which will teach you how to protect your files and your computer.