How to Add Comments to Folders on Windows 11

To simplify things or highlight their purpose, we can add comments to folders in Windows 11. Though, you wouldn’t find an option for it either in the context menu or the Properties window.

Also, it’s possible to add comments to files in Windows natively, with the exception of a few file types/formats that do not support metadata or have a comment field, but not folders.

Can you add tags to folders in Windows 11?

Yes, you can add tags to folders. For anyone wondering how to add tags to folders in Windows 11, it requires modifying the desktop.ini file or creating a batch (.bat) file followed by making changes to the Registry Editor. The process is slightly complex but achievable!

Also, since the functionality isn’t available via any of the available folder options, you may have to relaunch File Explorer or reboot the PC for the changes to reflect.

How do I add comments to a folder in Windows 11?

1. Using the desktop.ini file

Tip

This is a multi-step process. So, to simplify things, we have broken it down into sub-sections.

1.1 Add the Columns tab to File Explorer

1. Open the folder where you want to add the comment, right-click on the top of any of the columns, and select More.
2. Tick the checkbox for Comments and click OK.

1.2 Change the folder icon 

1. Right-click on the folder you want to add the comment to and select Properties.
2. Go to the Customize tab, and click on the Change Icon button under Folder icons. 
3. Select any other icon from the list of options or upload a custom icon, and click OK.
4. Again, click Apply and OK to save the changes.

1.3 Enable system-protected hidden files

1. In the same folder, click the ellipsis near the top, and select Options.
2. Go to the View tab, untick the checkbox for Hide protected operating system files, and click OK.
3. The desktop.ini file will now appear in the folder.

1.4 Modify the desktop.ini file

1. Right-click on the desktop.ini file, choose Open with, and select Notepad if the app doesn’t appear in the primary context menu. 
2. Now, paste the following directly under [.ShellClassInfo], while replacing This is your comment with the actual comment you want to add:InfoTip=This is your comment
3. Press Ctrl + S to save the changes to the desktop.ini file. 

1.5 Relaunch File Explorer

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. Select Windows Explorer from the list of apps, and click on Restart task.
3. Finally, the added comment will appear under the dedicated column.

While it’s usually easy to customize File Explorer in Windows 11, some functionalities, like adding comments, continue to remain time-consuming. But it’s not entirely impossible. The desktop.ini file will allow you to make the changes!

Also, once done, make sure to hide the protected operating system files and revert the folder icon to default (if required).

Besides, to add comments to files, simply head to the Details tab, and enter your comment in the dedicated section. Remember, the comments field will be missing for PDF or PNG files and several other file extensions that don’t support it.

Read more about this topic

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• How to Download Touchpad Driver for Lenovo Laptops With Windows 11
• Microsoft has disabled the OCR text detection in the Photos app, for now
• Windows 10X 18941: the Windows 10 that almost looked like Windows 11

2. With a third-party tool

When adding comments to multiple folders at once, it’s often wise to use a third-party tool. And StyleFolder does the job pretty well! We are not affiliated with it in any way and recommend that you run a malware scan using an effective antivirus solution before running the tool.

NOTE

There are several websites hosting StyleFolder. Make sure to verify the authenticity of the website before downloading the tool. We used Softpedia.

To add comments using StyleFolder, right-click on the relevant folder > select Show more options > choose Customize with StyleFolder > add the comment in the text field > click Apply and then OK > relaunch File Explorer.

Remember, StyleFolder, too, modifies the desktop.ini file but provides an easy interface to do so. Besides, the tool allows changing the text colour and folder icon.

For anyone wondering how to put sticky notes in a folder, you can download Notezilla from the Microsoft Store. It’s not a free software, though, and is priced at $1.69!

Additional settings for folder comments

• You can also edit or remove the comment through the desktop.ini file.
• If you are unable to view or edit the folder-specific system file, make sure to take ownership of the folder. 
• Instead of using comments, you can add tags to files and folders.

You now know how to add a description or comments to folders in Windows 11. The built-in option works fine for folders, but for specific file types, say, to add comments to PDF files in Windows Explorer, third-party tools are a viable option.

And if you find that the folder reverts to read-only or the permissions are misconfigured, taking full control will help!

For any queries or to share how you add comments to folders in Windows 11, use the comment section below.