| In addition to viewing, sorting, and grouping, you can customize the appearance of your folders. Basically, you can change the way you open or display contents. Rather than double-clicking to open a folder, you can make the folder contents more "Web-like" and single-click. You can also hide the task pane. For instance, if you have upgraded to Windows XP, you may prefer the "classic" Windows style. You can change the folder options to more closely resemble previous versions of Windows. To set folder options, follow these steps: 1. | In the folder you want to change, open the Tools menu and select the Folder Options command.
You'll see the General tab of the Folder Options dialog box (see Figure 16.10).
Figure 16.10. The General tab, as its name suggests, sets general options for how folders are displayed, browsed, and opened. 
| 2. | Make any changes to these options:
To hide the task pane, select Use Windows classic folders. To display the task pane, select Show common tasks in folders (the default).
By default, when you open a folder, the contents are displayed within one window (the new contents replace the existing contents), not separate windows. If you prefer to open each folder in its own window, select this option: Open each folder in its own window.
By default, you double-click to open an item. If you want to single-click, select Single-click to open an item (point to select) and then select how the underlining appears for icon titles (either consistent with your Internet browser settings or underlined only when you point at them). Figure 16.11, for instance, shows the single-click option selected, with underlining consistent with the browser.
Figure 16.11. You can single-click, rather than double-click, to open a file or folder. 
note  | This book assumes that you have your system set up to double-click, and all steps are written accordingly. Keep in mind that if you change this option, you'll single-click to open a file or folder. |
| 3. | Click OK. Your changes are then put into effect.
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