Selecting Multiple Files or Folders
It is possible in Windows Explorer to select multiple files or folders. You may want to do this to efficiently move or copy many items at once rather than one at a time. You can also select multiple items for deletion.
Selecting multiple items involves using a combination of the keyboard and mouse. There are two options for selecting multiple items. You can either select items that are adjacent to each other in the listing in Windows Explorer (which uses the Shift key on the keyboard) or you can select non-adjacent items from the listing in Windows Explorer (using the Ctrl key). The process for each is below:
Selecting Items that are adjacent to one another in Windows Explorer:
- Navigate to the folder that contains the items that you would like to select.
- With the mouse, click on the first item you would like to select.
- Press and hold down the “Shift” key on the keyboard.
- With the mouse, click on the last item in the list that you would like to select while keeping the “Shift” key pressed down.
- Release the “Shift” Key.
- All items between the first and last item should now be selected.
Selecting Items that are not adjacent to one another in Windows Explorer:
- Navigate to the folder that contains the items that you would like to select.
- With the mouse, click on the first item you would like to select.
- Press and hold down the “Ctrl” key on the keyboard.
- With the mouse, click on each additional item that you would like to select while
keeping the “Ctrl” key pressed down - Release the “Ctrl” Key.
- All items that were clicked on should now be selected.
