Michael Haren’s Wassupy Blog

Windows 7 Tip: Check Box-Based File Selection

in windows and technology

The Tip:

I just stumbled across this handy feature of Windows 7 (apparently introduced in Vista): multiple file selection without holding down the control key via check boxes:

They show up when you hover. Clicking the check box behaves exactly as if you were holding down the control key. If you click anywhere else on the file, it clears the existing selection and chooses only the file you clicked on—it’s really all very intuitive.

How:

  1. Open Explorer (Winkey+E)
  2. Press Alt+T to bring up the tools menu and choose Folder Options
  3. Choose the View tab
  4. Scroll to the bottom and check “Use check boxes to select items”