Fix: File and Folder Names Aligned to the Left Instead of Center in Windows 10

After installing the Anniverary Update, you would have noticed that the file and folder name text are aligned to the left instead of being centered. Here is how it appears after installing Windows 10 Anniversary Update and the issue still exists in Creators Update and Fall Creators Update.

file folder names aligned to left instead of center

This looks very ugly, and nobody knows why Microsoft changed the text alignment to “left”. You can however, with a registry tweak, make the file and folder names align center.

Update: The file and folder name alignment issue has been fixed in the Creators Update v1703 and higher.

Fix: Registry Tweak to Center align file and folder name text

1. Download windows_10_center_align_folder_icons_text.zip

2. Unzip and run windows_10_center_align_folder_icons_text.reg

The folder view flags registry value “FFlags“, when set to “43000000”, the file/folder names are aligned to the center. This is what the registry fix does. Anniversary Update sets the FFlags to “41200001” (left align).

3. After applying the registry fix, Restart the Explorer shell for the change to take effect.

Here is how the alignment looks like, now!

file folder names aligned to center instead of left

Want to restore defaults?

Want to revert back to the default left align setting? Run the other .reg file enclosed in the zip file, which restores the default settings.

Note that both .reg files reset the folder view settings which you can always customize.

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Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a consecutive ten-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in the Windows Shell/Desktop Experience category, from 2003 to 2012. He loves to troubleshoot and write about Windows. Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in 2005.

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1 thought on “Fix: File and Folder Names Aligned to the Left Instead of Center in Windows 10”

  1. This registry file is completely misleading and does not do what it states. It changes the view layout of all your files and folders and actually removes certain view options like ‘Tiles’ which I use for the ‘This PC’ folder. Fix it now or remove it immediately.

    Note to readers: Do not download this registry or follow instructions. Misleading.

    Reply

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