Folder Tree Contents

The options on this page affect the contents of the tree (which folders are displayed, and in some cases where).

• Start Folder Tree at: This drop-down lets you choose the starting folder for the tree. The options are:
  
  • Desktop: This is the normal starting position - at the root of the system namespace, everything else appears below the Desktop.
  • Computer: The tree will begin at the Computer level, without showing the Desktop or any of the desktop's other children.
  • Drives: This is similar to Computer, except displays a cut-down Computer item that only lists your disk drives, omitting any other folders under Computer.
  • Current Drive: This starts the tree at the root of the current drive. For example, if you navigated to C:\Data\Temp, the tree would begin at the root of C:.
  
  If you navigate to a location that is normally hidden as a result of this option (e.g. you have selected to start at Computer, but you navigate to the Network folder which is under Desktop), the tree will automatically "re-root" itself in order to make the location you have navigated to visible. When you return to the original location the tree will reset itself to the configured starting location. 
   
• Creative Cloud Files: If Adobe Creative Cloud is installed, controls whether the Creative Cloud Files folder appears under the Desktop folder. (This option will be hidden if Creative Cloud is not detected on the computer.)
   
• Empty disk drives: Displays empty disk drives under the Computer folder. If turned off, empty removable drives will be hidden.
   
• Favorites: Displays your configured Favorite folders in a separate branch of the tree.
   
• File Collections: Displays your File Collections in the tree.
  • Display under the Desktop item: With this option on, the File Collections branch is displayed as a child of the Desktop. If this option is off the File Collections branch starts at the root level as a sibling of the Desktop.
     
• Folder Aliases: This option displays your configured Folder Aliases in a separate branch of the tree.
  • All: All folder aliases, including the internal default aliases, will be shown. With this option turned off only user-defined aliases are shown.
     
• FTP Sites: Displays the contents of your FTP Address Book in the tree.
  • Display under the Desktop item: If this option is on the FTP branch is displayed as a child of the Desktop. If turned off, the FTP branch appears at the root level of the tree.
     
  • Site roots always to go initial folder: Changes what happens when you're already connected to an FTP site and then click its name in the folder tree again, for sites with an initial folder specified in their FTP Address Book entry. Whether this option is on or off, if you are not connected to an FTP site and click its name in the folder tree, you will connect to the site and navigate to its initial folder (if it has one). The option changes what happens if you then click the site again: If the option is off (the default), you will go to the site's root folder. If the option is on, you will go to the site's initial folder. The option only affects what happens when you click the site in the tree using the mouse; selection via the keyboard, and navigation via things other than the tree, are not affected.
     
• Hidden folders (subject to global filters): Allows hidden folders to be displayed in the tree, provided they are not filtered out globally. If this option is off, any folders with the H attribute set will not be displayed. If this option is on, folders with the H attribute will be displayed provided they are not filtered out by the Global Hide Filter settings on the Folder Display Preferences page. The purpose of this option is to allow you to reduce clutter in the tree while still showing hidden folders in the file display.
   
• Homegroup: The Homegroup folder on Windows 7 through to Windows 10 1803, where the Homegroup feature was removed.
   
• Libraries: Displays your Libraries in the tree.
  • Display under the Desktop item: Displays the Libraries branch as a child of the Desktop folder.
  • Show member folders individually: Individual member folders are listed in the tree under each library. For example, the Pictures library by default contains two members - your personal pictures folder, and the shared public pictures folder. If this option is on, the Pictures library will have both these members as separate folders beneath it, with their contents listed under them. If this option is off, the member folders are not shown individually, and the contents of the library are shown merged beneath the library itself.
     
• One Drive: The OneDrive folder on Windows 8 and up.
   
• Protected operating system folders (subject to global filters): Allows protected operating system folders to be displayed in the tree, provided they are not filtered out globally. If this option is off, any folders with the H and S attributes set will not be displayed. If this option is on, folders with the H and S attributes will be displayed provided they are not filtered out by the Global Hide Filter settings on the Folder Display Preferences page. The purpose of this option is to allow you to reduce clutter in the tree while still showing system folders in the file display.
   
• Quick access: The Quick access folder on Windows 10.
   
• Recent List: Displays the Recent List in a separate branch of the tree.
   
• SmartFavorites: Displays your Smart Favorites folders in a separate branch of the tree.
   
• User Profile folder: Displays your user profile folder in the tree as a child of the Desktop item.
  • Display at the top of the tree: Displays the user profile folder as the first item in the tree below the Desktop rather than lower down.
     
• Virtual (non-filesystem) folders: If this option is off virtual folders will not be shown in the tree - for example, the Recycle Bin would be hidden by turning this option off.
   
• ZIP files and other archives: If this option is on then archive files will be shown in the tree as if they were ordinary folders.

Even if a folder is hidden from the tree using the above items, it will be displayed if you navigate to it or a folder underneath it. For example, if FTP sites are not shown normally in the tree, but you navigate to an FTP site, a temporary entry will be added to the tree as long as you are in the site - it will be removed again when you navigate away.