Adding tool tips to Folders

This method was first described by Ankur Mittal, Ex-MS MVP (WDE); however, I am writing it with step to step with detailed screenshots so that every one can follow it very easily.

What is background of using it?

Any folder can be named by using 255 letters to maximum, thats too, there are restrictions in some characters. If a folder contains thousand of files, its very difficult to get where is the required file, from the folder’s name.

Its equivalent to HTML tool tips I have used in this website; when you hover over “Featured tutorial” hyperlinked links, custom text appears.

Solution for it:

As there is no default easy method to add comment to folder, we will follow the below written steps.

Step 1

1. Go to the folder location you want:

2. I will use the DreamScenes folder to show the method. Right click over it and select properties:

3. Click it; in the properties dialog box, click customize and change the icon:

Choose among the default icons or select of your own:

4. After you refresh the folder, it will look like this:

Step 2

5. Make sure that System files are not hidden. To do this, Press [f10] inside any folder, click tools and click folder options:

This window will come; click view tab:

6. Uncheck the “Hide protected Operating System files…” (the highlighted one). When you uncheck it, this security prompt will come:

7. Accept it.

Step 3

8. Now you will see a new file (desktop.ini) has appeared inside the folder:

9. Right click over it and open it with notepad:

10. Add this to the end of the already written informations:

11. I am adding, for example, InfoTip=Contains all DreamScene videos.

Here it is:

12. Simply goto Notepad’s File option > Save it. Close the note pad.

13. Do the reverse from Step 2 (point number 5); its optional. It will make the the System files hidden as it was before we started. The desktop.ini file will disappear.

Step 4

14. Just go one level up to see the folder with custom icon. Hover over it, your custom tool tip will appear.