Favorites and Start Menu Sort Order
Last updated: 12/27/05

How to sort the Internet Explorer favorites (and folders) and Start Menu programs (and folders) so they are listed Alphabetically.

This is still another one of those fine Windows features designed to make Windows easier to use...  If your favorites and favorites folders are not displayed in alphabetical order it is because one or more of them were moved to a different position in the past.

To undo the damage...

1) Where it says Files, Edit, View, Favorites, in the IE (I'm using IE 6) main menu click Favorites.
2) Move the mouse past Add to Favorites... and Organize Favorites...
3) to the folders and shortcuts below those entries.
4) Right-click anywhere in that area.
5) Select Sort by Name from the resulting menu.

The Start Menu works the same way.

My thanks to "David" in our forums for this tip.

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For comparison (and to add fire to my opening remarks), Microsoft says to do it this way (guess they don't know the Internet Explorer as well as "wildbilly")... Open the Windows registry editor by clicking Start, Run, and enter regedit.  (It is advisable to backup the registry before changin it.  See Help in the editor for the procedure.)  Expand the registry tree by clicking plus signs unit you arrive at:

 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder\Favorites

In the right pane click on "Order" to highlight it, press the Delete key, and click Yes when prompted.  Restart Windows.

The same procedure will work for the Start Menu...

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\ Explorer\MenuOrder\Favorites\Menu

This fix applies to most versions of the Internet Explorer and Windows in widespread use.  See the reference for a list.

Larry

Ref: Start Menu and Favorites Menu Are Not Listed in Alphabetical Order (Q177482).

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