In Office 2007 and prior you could just click open and your default folder location would open.  Is there way to re create that functionality in new version?  The steps to open your default folder location is; File, open, place and then browse.

Thanks in advance.

Hi,

The options in Open Command is different from the previous versions. And if you want to open the default folder location, we can click Open -> Computer. If you open the folder frequently, then it will show in the Recent Folders part. Also, we can click Browse button to open the folder manually.

How do I make Excel's OPEN command open a default folder, not a previously used workbook/file within that folder?  The root folder by itself does NOT show up in the Recent Folders area.  For example, I want Excel to open the folder "c:\projects" so I can pick what I want out of that folder.  I do not want it to open any particular folder or file within that folder.  If it matters:  the folder in question is the default save location.

When I use click on OPEN, several files with in the c:\projects directory appear in the recent list (e.g., "c:\projects\water" or c:\projects\DOD\air"), but not just c:\projects.  My c:\projects folder contains many subfolders, each with many files.  I hate wasting time navigating back to the root folder and then navigating to the file I need.

I tried adding a blank workbook to the root directory - and that saves some time, but then I still have to close a useless file and navigate to the one I really want.

Thanks for your help.

I Agree,

I find it really annoying that i need to click 4 times to open the BROWSE window and explore my local files.

(File, Open, Computer, Browse)

please help me creating a shortcut for this.

That didn't help at all.

You seem to be ignoring his (simple) question: Is there a way to avoid going backstage, avoid the option for Skydrive, ignore Excel's useless guesses as to which folders you might want to save in, and JUST GO TO THE BROWSE WINDOW like all Office products used to do, and have done forever?

To reiterate: We do not want to use Skydrive. We do not want to wait for Excel to learn enough about us to guess what we're trying to do. We just want to get to the save and open dialog boxes with one click. 

It's a simple thing, really. Maybe the simplest thing you can do in a program. Hopefully Microsoft hasn't broken it. 

So what you're saying is Word and Excel do not have a one click option for opening the default file location?

Try Options - Save and check 'Don't show Backstage view when opening or saving files'?

• Proposed as answer by ShawnDL Monday, October 21, 2013 7:23 PM

Try Options - Save and check 'Don't show Backstage view when opening or saving files'?

This is the correct solution!

I have done this successfully in Word 2013 but it doesn't seem to work in Excel.  I have checked the box 'don't show backstage view' but it still appears when I select 'open file'.  Any ideas anyone?

Thanks.

• Edited by Hudsondoglets Wednesday, November 27, 2013 11:03 AM

Think I've resolved.  I didn't have Excel set to open to new workbook in first instance.  

Disabling the Backstage did not work for me.  So I Customized the Ribbon by adding a New Group, naming it File Save and then adding the Save As menu item found under the File items.

Now you get the Good Old file dialog box pointing at the folder you opened the file from.

Editorial Comment:  Sure is hard to believe that any Word 2013 focus groups were used to watch and learn how folks actually work.

What I would really like is for 'Add a place' to be able to add a local folder as well as a cloud service.  Then I could just 'Add a place' which was a library 'folder' and I'd find open/save much simpler.

• Proposed as answer by KenMorison Thursday, March 20, 2014 11:00 PM
• Unproposed as answer by KenMorison Thursday, March 20, 2014 11:04 PM

In Excel I've just added the Open command to my Quick access toolbar.  Takes me straight to the old file open window.  Ctrl+ O also does the same for me.

• Edited by KenMorison Thursday, March 20, 2014 11:11 PM

Thank you!  This is how "Genius" works!  Nice, simple, plain.  Kudos to YOU! Way to go!

(Stooopid Microsoft!!!!)

Try Options - Save and check 'Don't show Backstage view when opening or saving files'?

I could use some help finding this option. I have the french version of office, and I can't find the "backstage view" in french.

Why "Add a place" is so restrictive seems nonsensical. 

As a workaround, I use a simple macro to open explorer to the path of the open Workbook/Document.  Easily adapted for any other location.

Sub ExplorePath()
    Dim pth As String
    On Error GoTo Exits
    pth = """" & ActiveWorkbook.Path & """"
    If pth = "" Then pth = "S:\Work Folders\"
    Shell Environ("windir") & "\Explorer.exe " & pth, vbNormalFocus
Exits:
End Sub

Does not work for me.  Why won't Microsoft allow us to buy old versions?

First my rant -It seems like each time Microsoft releases a new version of Operating System or Software it is designed to add steps to everything I need to do to do my job.  Why??

I did find something that might be useful, IF you already have a document or spreadsheet open from that location and want to open another one.  In Info (instead of open) you will see Open File Location under Related Documents that will quickly allow you to access more files without browsing or training the application.

I did some testing and found a way to have the root directory as an option under Computer recent folders.  Put a file in the root and open it a few times.  Now you can go into Computer and you should see the root there.  Now pin this item to the list so it remains there.

I'll second that: Thanks Christoph.  You made my day with this simple fix.  

This was a BIG help.  Had to close and re-open Word app for it to take.  Also added 'Open' on the 'Quick Access Toolbar' and now I'm back to one-click open dialog in my default folder.  I swear that backstage feature must have been invented by the marketing folks who came up with the "Where did it Go?" Ribbon in 2007 ;)