In Windows, a friendly and intuitive interface. Through it, anyone can interact with the file system: copy, transfer, change names. Information presented clearly. Documents, pictures, music, videos, shortcuts - all the data that is stored on your computer can be distributed into directories. Understand how to create a folder, how to work with it, how to rename it, delete it, do something in it, how to restore it if you accidentally delete it.

About folders and directories

Thanks to the directory is very easy to organize work with files. You can sort them by type, purpose, date. By any convenient criterion. For example, all videos should be placed in the “Movies” section, photos of the memorable event should be dragged into “Photo from Birthday”, and the music album of your favorite group - into “My playlist”. So you do not have to look for a track or video among a pile of unnecessary shortcuts and programs. After all, you will know where he is.

It is better to move or edit only personal data. If you decide to do it in the directory of any utility installed on your computer, it may stop working correctly. Since it will "search" for your data in a certain folder. And it will not be able to restore them on their own if something happens to them. When changing the name of at least one character, the application will not be able to recognize it. Therefore, it is better not to change anything in the program sections if you do not know what you are doing.

Also, do not move directories reserved by the operating system. There are its working files. Usually they are protected from changes. If you are thinking about how to remove the “Windows” folder from the system disk or move it to another location, you will most likely not be able to do this using the usual method. Therefore, do not be afraid to accidentally damage or erase important data. But experimenting with OS files is not worth it. Otherwise, you will have to figure out how to restore the system from the boot disk.

How to open a folder?

Here are some ways to open a folder:

• Double click on it with the left mouse button. This must be done quickly.
• Select it and press Enter.
• Click on it with the right mouse button and in the appeared menu choose the option “Open”.

These settings can be changed. For this:

1. Go to Start - Control Panel.
2. Open “Folder Options” (it is located in the “Design and Personalization” section if you have turned on the display by categories).
3. In the "General" tab, you can choose how to open directories: double-click or single.
4. These settings can always be reset and restored to what was the default.

Choose how to open folders: single or double click

If you are not satisfied with the interval with which you need to double-click, change it all in the same Control Panel.

1. Open the “Mouse” menu (located in the Hardware and Sound section - Devices and Printers).
2. In the "Mouse buttons" tab there is a slider for setting the double-click speed.

How to move or copy files to a folder?

You can do this by simply dragging the files with the cursor. If you hold down the Shift key, the data will be transferred (removed from one directory and sent to another). If the Ctrl key is copied (will remain in both folders).

This option is also available in the context menu.

1. Highlight what you want to drag.
2. Click on the files with the right mouse button.
3. Select “Cut” (meaning “move”) or “Copy.”
4. Open the folder where the files should be located.
5. Right click on any empty space of the window.
6. Click "Paste".
7. You can not open the directory itself. Right click on its icon - there will be the same options.
8. Also available universal keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + V to paste.

Select the appropriate task command from the context menu

Folders are moved and copied on the same principle as files.

Change folder name

To name the directory in a different way, do the following:

1. Highlight it.
2. Click on the name. It will change to the input field.
3. Write a new name.
4. Press Enter.
5. Or call the context menu and select "Rename".

Some characters in the names are not allowed, such as a slash or a “slash” “/”, the question “?”, An asterisk “*”, a colon “:”. They are reserved for the needs of the system. If objects with such signs appear in it, it will cause an error. Therefore, the OS simply will not allow you to use them in names.

Creating a new folder

Here's how to make a folder:

1. Right click on the free space of the window.
2. The line "Create".
3. Item "Folder"

You can set a name and use.

Button to quickly create directories is also in the window menu. Next to "Sort", "Sharing", "Library".

Deleting a folder

You can get rid of it in two ways:

• Select and press the Delete key.
• Call the context menu and select "Delete".

The folder is erased along with all the files in it. They cannot be restored separately.

Deleted objects are first placed in the “Trash”, unless you have specified other settings. From there they can be completely erased.

If you tried to delete a directory, but it gave an error, one of the following options is possible:

• The folder or some file from it is currently in use. Before you do something with them, you need to close them and turn off all related processes.
• It has protection against changes.
• It is needed for the OS.

In the latter case, the section is better not to touch. But such a restriction is not always justified.

For example, you need to figure out how to delete the Windows folder after reinstalling the system. After all, the OS files are already in a different place, and the old directory is not needed - only memory takes up. Getting rid of it is not so easy. Sometimes it is enough to transfer it to another directory - and the protection subsides. You can erase all the files one by one and thus determine which one of them is a restriction. In extreme cases, you will have to restart your computer in WinPE mode by running it from a LiveCD disk or flash drive. But to resort to such methods should, if you are well versed in this.

Folder recovery

Here's how to restore the folder with all its contents if you accidentally deleted it:

1. Press Ctrl + Z. This cancels any last operation: delete, move, rename.
2. The item “Cancel deletion” will be in the context menu.

But it will work if you have not committed any actions after deleting the catalog. It can also be returned from the "Recycle Bin". Open it and click the "Restore" button.

With folders you can organize and catalog your files. This makes it easier to work with data. They are easier to find and select. Therefore, it is important to learn how to work with these objects.