Specifying How Clicking Works

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 1, 2019)

Windows provides a way that you can control how many clicks it takes to open an item. By default, Windows requires that you double-click an icon to open it, but you may prefer to open items simply with a single click.

To configure Windows to do your click bidding, you need to display the Folder Options dialog box. The easiest way to do that is to start by displaying the File Explorer or, if you are using Windows 7, displaying Windows Explorer. (Pressing Win+E is a great way to display it.) Now, using the controls in the File Explorer or Windows Explorer, display any file folder you want.

  • If you are using Windows 7, click the Organize drop-down near the upper-left corner of the window and then choose Folder and Search Options.
  • If you are using Windows 8 or Windows 10, display the View tab of the ribbon, click the Options tool (right side of the ribbon), and then click Change Folder and Search Options.

Now, just make sure that the General tab is displayed. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The General tab of the Folder Options dialog box.

In just about the center of the dialog box you can specify whether you want Windows to require single-clicks or double-clicks in order to open items. You can make your choices, as desired, and then click OK. The behavior change is immediate.

You should understand that if you choose to require only a single click, you'll need to make a change not only in how you open things, but in how you select them. The default (as already mentioned) is double-clicking to open, which also means that you single-click in order to select an object. If you change Windows so that a single-click is sufficient to open an item, then all you'll need to do to select an item is to point at it with the mouse.

 This tip (13406) applies to Windows 7, 8, and 10.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Cell Movement After Enter

What happens when you press Enter in a cell depends on how you have Excel configured. Here's the way you can control the ...

Discover More

Copying, Moving, and Deleting Comments

Comments are often added to documents to aid in their development. You can use regular editing techniques to copy, move, ...

Discover More

Create a Template that Stops Styles from Being Added to a Document

Limiting which styles a user can use or add to a document can be a tricky task. Fortunately, Word has advanced to the ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Using Powercfg to Change the Active Power Scheme

You can easily change which power scheme is active by using the SetActive switch. This tip shows you how.

Discover More

Quickly Reset Your Graphics Driver

Resetting your graphics driver can help when your computer is facing issues. Execute a quick rest of your computer's ...

Discover More

Adjusting Mouse Click Sensitivity

Mouse not working as you expect? Here are a few things that may get things back to the way they should be.

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is four less than 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

Newest Tips
Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2024 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.