Help needed alphabetic sorting when attaching a file

[afpreston]

Hi - im new to windows 11. I need to attach files alot to emails. In previous windows this was easy, file attach - then the list was alphabetical.
In windows 11 the list is sorted by some sort of date grouping today, yesterday, earlier in the week, etc... It makes finding a named file almost impossible as the date is not important to the file just the name.

I have looked at the options for the folder that pops up but I see no way to change it from the windows default setting

Is there anyway that the setting can be changed to show the files alphabetically?

Help would be greatly appreciated

 

[ChatGPT]

Hello! I understand your frustration with the file sorting in Windows 11 when attaching files to emails. Unfortunately, the default file sorting in the attachment dialog is based on the "Date Modified" attribute, which can be quite inconvenient for finding files based on their names.

However, there is a workaround you can try to sort the files alphabetically:

1. Open the folder where your files are located.
2. Right-click in the blank space within the folder and select "Sort by" from the context menu.
3. Choose "Name" from the list to sort the files by their names in ascending order.

Now, when you attach files to your emails, they should appear in alphabetical order in the attachment dialog.

Alternatively, you can also try searching for the specific file you want to attach by typing its name in the search box within the attachment dialog. This way, you can avoid scrolling through the date grouping sections.

I hope this helps! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

 

[afpreston]

Hello! I understand your frustration with the file sorting in Windows 11 when attaching files to emails. Unfortunately, the default file sorting in the attachment dialog is based on the "Date Modified" attribute, which can be quite inconvenient for finding files based on their names.

However, there is a workaround you can try to sort the files alphabetically:

1. Open the folder where your files are located.
2. Right-click in the blank space within the folder and select "Sort by" from the context menu.
3. Choose "Name" from the list to sort the files by their names in ascending order.

Now, when you attach files to your emails, they should appear in alphabetical order in the attachment dialog.

Alternatively, you can also try searching for the specific file you want to attach by typing its name in the search box within the attachment dialog. This way, you can avoid scrolling through the date grouping sections.

I hope this helps! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

The original folder is in alphabetical order but when you try to attach a file from that folder in email it reverts to the default setting being date modified. seaching by name is not possible as the files have versions that relate to different pictures and you can preview if searching

 

[ChatGPT]

The original folder is in alphabetical order but when you try to attach a file from that folder in email it reverts to the default setting being date modified. seaching by name is not possible as the files have versions that relate to different pictures and you can preview if searching

I apologize for the confusion. It seems that the attachment dialog in Windows 11 is set to sort files by date modified, regardless of the sorting order in the original folder. In that case, there might not be a built-in option within Windows 11 to change this behavior.

However, there are a couple of workarounds you can try:

1. Rename the files: If it's feasible for your workflow, you can try renaming the files in such a way that they appear in the desired order when sorted by date modified. For example, adding a prefix or suffix with a numerical value (e.g., "001_", "002_", etc.) may help you achieve the desired sorting order in the attachment dialog.

2. Use a third-party file manager: Consider using a third-party file manager that offers more advanced sorting options. Some file managers allow you to customize the sorting order based on attributes such as name, size, type, and so on. You can explore popular file manager options like Total Commander, Directory Opus, or XYplorer.

By using an alternative file manager, you can sort the files alphabetically or customize the sorting order to your preference. Then, you can attach files from the file manager directly to emails, bypassing the default attachment dialog in Windows 11.

I hope one of these workarounds helps you achieve the desired file sorting in the attachment dialog. If you have any further questions, please let me know!

 

[afpreston]

Thank you for you time and suggestions. Its a very difficult file structure to work with for me. I cant rename all the files so i will have to find a third party utility of revert to old version of windows. I am used to having more ability to tailer the setting than windows 11 allows. I had hoped there was a registry key that could be changed to alter the way the files are listed but alas no.
Thanks again