What governs the position of last accessed folder in Windows Explorer?

When you open Windows Explorer, you might have noticed that it always shows a specific folder as the default location. This folder is known as the "last accessed folder," and its position is determined by a few factors. In this article, we will explore what governs the position of the last accessed folder in Windows Explorer.

Recent Places

Windows Explorer keeps track of the folders you have recently accessed and displays them in the "Recent Places" section. This section is located on the left-hand side of the Explorer window, under the Quick Access section. The folders listed in Recent Places are sorted based on the most recent access time.

When you open Windows Explorer, it automatically selects the last accessed folder as the default location. This means that if you recently accessed a specific folder, it will be displayed as the default location when you open Windows Explorer next time.

File Explorer Options

The position of the last accessed folder can also be influenced by the settings in the File Explorer Options. To access these options, open Windows Explorer and click on the "View" tab in the menu bar. Then, click on the "Options" button on the right-hand side.

In the File Explorer Options window, go to the "General" tab. Here, you will find the "Open File Explorer to" section, which allows you to choose the default location for Windows Explorer. By default, it is set to "Quick access," which means that the last accessed folder will be displayed as the default location.

If you prefer Windows Explorer to always open to a specific folder, you can change this setting. Simply select the "This PC" option instead of "Quick access." This will make Windows Explorer open to the "This PC" view, which shows all your disk drives and other storage devices.

Clearing Recent Places

If you want to remove a specific folder from the Recent Places list or clear the entire list, you can do so by following these steps:

1. Open Windows Explorer and click on the "File" tab in the menu bar.
2. Select "Change folder and search options" from the dropdown menu.
3. In the Folder Options window, go to the "General" tab.
4. Under the "Privacy" section, click on the "Clear" button to remove all the folders from the Recent Places list.
5. If you only want to remove specific folders, scroll down to the "Privacy" section and click on the "Clear" button next to "Clear File Explorer history."

By following these steps, you can manage the folders displayed in the Recent Places section and control the position of the last accessed folder in Windows Explorer.

Conclusion

The position of the last accessed folder in Windows Explorer is determined by the Recent Places list and the settings in the File Explorer Options. Windows Explorer remembers the folders you have recently accessed and displays them in the Recent Places section. Additionally, you can customize the default location of Windows Explorer by changing the settings in the File Explorer Options.