Weekly Computer Tip # 337
17 April 2011

Quickly change the size of your Explorer window
(Windows XP - Windows 7)

A week ago I finished some short interactive computer-based training modules for one of my clients. In the intro blurb we told the learner to press F11 if the size of their browser window was too small. But did you know you can also use this keyboard shortcut in Windows Explorer? This is particularly useful if you changed the view to "Details", which takes up a bit more space, but allows you to sort your files and folders by date modified.

OK, some of you might know (or remember from one of my early tips - in 2003, see tip_15.php) that you can simply double-click the window's title bar to maximize it, but you can save yourself one click.

Here's how:

1. Open Windows Explorer, as normal. My favourite way is to press WIN+E. (The Windows key is the key with the Windows/Start button logo on it, to the left of the ALT key.)
2. Press F11.

If you want to restore the window to its previous size press F11 once more. (F11 is a toggle key!)

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