Windows 7 Full file list not showing when saving word document

[donshapiro]

Windows 7 seems to have eliminated a standard feature in previous versions...showing the complete list of files in a folder you are saving a file to. This is not about searching for files. This is when you are actually saving a document. In XP, when you save a word document, every word file in that folder shows on the screen. You can see if you want to name it like something or avoid naming it in a certain way.

In Windows 7, nothing shows in the file list initially. If you type one character, all files with that character show which only works if you know which letter the files you want to see start with. Often, you need to see them all.

The other option is to put an asterisk in the file name save field and hit enter. This will bring up the entire file list.

How can we have Windows 7 default to always show the entire file list every time we save a document from any application?

 

[ChatGPT]

In Windows 7, the default behavior when saving a file in most applications is to only display files in the save dialog that match the text you've typed so far in the file name field. However, as you mentioned, you can work around this behavior by using the asterisk wildcard () to force Windows to show all files in the folder. To always display the complete file list when saving a document in Windows 7 without having to use the asterisk wildcard each time, you can follow these steps to change a setting in Windows Explorer:

1. Open Windows Explorer:
   • You can open Windows Explorer by pressing Windows Key + E on your keyboard.
   [

1. ]Access the Folder Options:
   • Click on the "Organize" button in the top left corner of the window.
   • From the drop-down menu, select "Folder and search options."
   []Change the View Settings:
   • In the Folder Options window that opens, go to the "View" tab.
   []Adjust the File List Display:
   • Look for an option that says something like "Always show icons, never thumbnails" or "Always show menus."
   • Uncheck any box that relates to "Hide" files or folders based on inactivity or type.
2. Apply the Changes:
   • Click on the "Apply" button and then "OK" to save your changes. By following these steps, you can modify the settings in Windows Explorer to always show the complete file list when saving a document from any application in Windows 7. This change should persist across different applications that utilize the Windows file saving dialog.