WINDOWS 7
MANAGE FILES AND FOLDER WITH
WINDOWS EXPLORER
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
1
Introduce Windows Explorer ..................................................................... 3
Navigate folders and their contents .......................................................... 5
Organize files and folders .......................................................................... 8
Move or copy files or folders to a different computer ............................................. 8
Move or copy files or folders to locations within the same computer .................. 9
Share and protect folders and files ........................................................... 9
Through Windows Explorer ...................................................................................... 9
Through File or Folder Properties window ............................................................ 10
Simple organization with libraries ........................................................... 13
Add a folder in a library ........................................................................................... 13
Remove a folder from a library................................................................................ 14
Back up by burning to CD or DVD ........................................................... 15
The following training document is using Microsoft Help and Support and Lynda.com
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
2
Introduce Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer is a file management system program used to manage files, folders and subfolders as well as programs in a PC
Although there are different ways to access Windows Explorer in different locations, you can
always navigate around the various folders and areas of your computer in the same way
 Double-click any Folder icon or a shortcut of any folder on the Desktop screen
 Click Windows Explorer shortcut on Taskbar (default)
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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 Click Document on Start menu
 Right-click Start button and choose Open Windows Explorer
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
4
Navigate folders and their contents
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
5
Search filed can be resizable
 Move the mouse in between Search field and the field showing the path
 The cursor turns into a double-arrow
 Click-and-drag to the left or right to increase or decrease the size of Search field
Change your view button allows you to view different options in a slider format
Show the preview pane button allows you to turn on or off the Preview Pane on the right-hand
side of Windows Explorer
 When Preview Pane is turned on, click a file to select it and its preview will display on the
right-hand side of the Windows Explorer
 If you open a document, such as a Word document, you will be able to see the first page of
that document. However, it may not look exactly the way it’s going to look when you open it
up, but it’s give you a good idea of what’s inside
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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Tiny little arrows located on heading columns when you move the mouse over them indicating
how files are sorted. To change how files are sorted, click the arrow button at the end of each
heading column to change criteria in sorting files
 Alphabetical order
 Date modified
 Type
 Size
Alphabetical order
When an item is selected in the Windows Explorer, the Toolbar changes corresponding to its
type of file as well as the bottom of Windows Explorer will display some information about that
file
 The Open button will display a default program to open the file if the program was installed in
the machine

Click down arrow to choose a different program or different default program
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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Organize files and folders
Windows Explorer is not only for navigating folders and files but also helps to organize them efficiently
Tip: Hold CTRL key + click to select multiple items at the same time
Move or copy files or folders to a different computer
Opening two Windows Explorer windows is a fast way for copying and moving files around
Open two Windows Explorer windows
Resize them by clicking-and-dragging one window all the way to the left and another all the way
to the right until each of them resizes itself, position them if necessary
If necessary, click New folder button on the Toolbar to create new folder on the destination
To copy files or folders, click and drag folders and files across windows to create copies to a new
destination because Windows 7 always create a copy of files or folder to the destination located
on a different computer
To move files or folders, hold down SHIFT key while click and drag them to the new location
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
8
Move or copy files or folders to locations within the same computer
Locate files or folders which you need to move or copy to a different location on the same local
machine
To move files or items, click and drag them to a new location
To make copies of files or items to a new location, hold down CTRL key while click and drag them
to a new location
Share and protect folders and files
If you share a computer with someone with multiple user accounts on it or you are on a network
computer, how to share and protect files is important
Through Windows Explorer
Open a Windows Explorer window
Select a file or folder
Click Share with button and choose a desired option
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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 Nobody
 Homegroup (Read)
 Homegroup (Read/Write)

Required Homegroup setup
 Specific people…

Click a down arrow under Permission Level to change permission granted for each
username
Through File or Folder Properties window
Right-click on a file or folder and choose Properties option from the shortcut menu
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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The Properties window is displayed, select desired options to protect and share files or folders
 Under General tab

Choose Read-only option to automatically set the file or folder as a read-only file

Choose Hidden option to make the file or folder invisible
 Under Security tab

Select a desired group or username in the list of Groups and user names to see the
permission information detail in under the Permission box
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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
Click Edit button to change permission for the selected group or user name
 Full Control is granted that means it could be modified, read, written
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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Simple organization with libraries
Libraries are indeed new to Windows 7 to give us a quick and easy way organize documents
that may exist in several different locations because libraries will bring your folders together in
one place no matter where they are actually stored. By default, Windows 7 comes with libraries
for Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos
Folders which are on the network can be added as a part of a library
Add a folder in a library
Open Windows Explorer to navigate your folder
Click your desired folder to select
Click Include in the library and do one of the following:
 Choose a desired default library from the drop down list
 Choose Create new library option to create a custom library
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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Click Libraries on the Navigation Pane and select a library containing a folder added recently to
quickly and easily access it
Remove a folder from a library
When folders are removed from a library, they are not actually removed completely because a library
simply references or monitors the contents of folders that are located elsewhere. Therefore, when you
delete a folder in a library, it still exists in its original location. Do one of the following:
Select the folder and press DELETE key on the keyboard
Right-click the folder and choose Remove location from library option from the shortcut menu
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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Back up by burning to CD or DVD
Backing up important files should be considered in case computers crash and all important files will be
lost. Burning files to a disk is one of the back-up methods to protect your important files
Insert a blank DVD/CD into the drive of the PC
The AutoPlay window automatically opens up and select one of the following options if
applicable
 Burn files to disc - copy files into the disk
 Burn a DVD video disc – make a DVD video disc which can play in a DVD player
If options in the AutoPlay window do not apply for your choice, close the AutoPlay window
Open a Windows Explorer window and do the following:
 Locate the file or folder you want to backup
 On the Toolbar of Windows Explorer, click Burn button
 The Burn a Disc window automatically opens up

Edit the name of the disk in Disk title field
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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
Select a desired option
 Like a USB flash drive – allow you to edit and delete the files on the disc before you
actually close up a session
 With a CD/DVD player – make files and folders not to be edited or deleted after
burning

Click Next
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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
Windows 7 is preparing to format it on the DVD Read/Write Drive
 A read/write disc can be used for copying , deleting files or adding additional files
anytime when needed
 A read-only disc can be used for copying and deleting files only at a current session
After the process of formatting discs completed, the AutoPlay window opens up again. Click
Open folder to view files option
A new Windows Explorer window displayed shows a contain of the backup disc
 Navigate and select files or folders to back up
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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 Click Burn button on Toolbar to copy them into the backup disc
Click Eject button on Toolbar to close the session
Windows 7 - Manage Files and Folders with Windows Explorer
Last Edited: 2012-07-10
Technology Training and Education
© Metropolitan State University of Denver
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