Create and Use a Folder

In Windows XP, folders are visual representations of the directories that contain your files. You can organize your files by placing folders within folders, which can be placed within other folders, and so on, creating a hierarchy that ultimately begins at the root of your hard drive (called “the root” for short).

You open a folder by double-clicking it with your mouse. This displays the folder’s contents in a new window.

When the window is minimized (by clicking the Minimize  button), it appears in the form of a button on the taskbar.

Click the button on the taskbar to maximize the window again.

To close the folder window, click the Close button  in the upper right corner.

To create a new folder inside the current open folder, click the Make a new folder link in the left pane of the window.

You can also use Windows Explorer to create a folder in any location on your computer:

1. Open Windows Explorer by clicking on the Start button on the Windows taskbar, and then selecting (clicking) All Programs, then Accessories, and then Windows Explorer.

2. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the location where you want to create the new folder.
3. Open the File menu and select New, and then New Folder.

A new folder is created.

4. Enter a name for the folder by typing over the highlighted New Folder text and pressing Enter.

Tip:

You rename a folder the same way: click inside the folder name. When the name is highlighted, just type over it and press Enter.

You can also quickly create new folders in any location (such as on your Windows desktop) by right-clicking inside the location and selecting New, and then New Folder from the context menu.

To move a folder, simply drag and drop it to the location where you want it—this can be into another folder in a different window, into another folder inside the same window, or onto the Windows desktop. Windows moves the folder, along with all of its contents.