Windows 10 "Group" and "Sort" greyed out in quick access

[digitalbravo]

I got accustomed to the "Group by" and "Sort by" features from Quick Access pretty quickly after upgrading to Windows 10. Recently, however, both group and sort features have greyed out and have zero effect no matter the folder view I'm in (details, content, etc.)

Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[Bhu]

I have exactly the same problem. I have tried resetting the folder completely with no luck. Its been a long time since you posted this hopefully me bumping the thread will help someone notice it and provide a solution...

 

[Neemobeer]

Quick Access itself is a grouped by item. Quick access items are merely directory shortcuts so they don't have attributes to group by or sort by that is why those items are grayed out.

 

[Bhu]

That’s not entirely true. As mine used to work with the sort by function. You could see the recently used files and folders in sorted groups which as the picture by the op it has now resorted to that look. Which before it was not. There were groups available as well as files well basically as the sort by and group by works.

 

[Neemobeer]

Not on the root of quick access

 

[Bhu]

Why would 2 of us have the same issue then? We both had quick access folder with sort by and group by showing and working before that’s why we have come here. My quick access folder definately used to have the group by useable.

Thank you

 

[Neemobeer]

On Windows 7 perhaps. On windows 10 quick access is just a file in your user profile.

I did look in a Windows 7 VM. In there the shortcuts are called Favorites and they don't appear to be stored the same as quick access links and yes it does have the ability to sort and group by. It's likely Microsoft removed that feature in Windows 10.

 

[Bhu]

You are wrong! I have a windows 10 laptop also and it has the view the op and myself wish to reclaim that we lost. I will screen shot and add it up here later.... be patient as I’m not with the laptop at the moment but will be in a few hours...

 

[Neemobeer]

What build of Windows 10? Microsoft removes features all the time so what could exist in one build of Windows 10 may not be present in another.

 

[Neemobeer]

If you have a Windows 10 computer and you're able to group and sort and this was an upgrade from Windows 7 and not a clean install, then I could believe that. Along with the other practices I mentioned, sometimes Microsoft will leave features in, but have no way other than editing the registry to change.

From the device you say it works with Windows 10, export and upload the following registry key to compare.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6} this is what controls the behavior of Quick Access

 

[Bhu]

Here you go, here is a screen shot of my lap top...

Compared to the view posted by the op above which is the same as I get on my PC...

 

[Bhu]

I will look into the registry keys a bit later and report back

 

[kemical]

I have exactly the same problem. I have tried resetting the folder completely with no luck. Its been a long time since you posted this hopefully me bumping the thread will help someone notice it and provide a solution...

Have you tried clearing the file explorer history?

 

[Bhu]

yes several times

 

[Bhu]

it wont allow group by as its greyed out and that view is just horrible. i like to see it by foler, then files etc

 

[kemical]

See if running these scans help:
File scans
Right click on the Start menu icon and from the revealed list choose 'admin command prompt'. Type:
sfc /scannow
press enter and await results

In the same command prompt and after the above scan has finished type:
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
Press enter and await results (longer this time).

If the first scan found files it could not repair but the second scan is successful, run the first scan again using the same command prompt box and this time it should repair the files found.

 

[Bhu]

I do first scan regularly. Always comes up nothing found.

I will try the second later and report back...