How can I open more than 15 files at once on Windows 7?

How can I open more than fifteen files on Windows 7 at once? I can do fifteen by selecting them and pressing enter, but if I try to select more, enter stops doing anything.

All the files are the same type — pictures.

windows-7

chabad

Posted 2011-06-23T03:01:09.427

Reputation: 171

@KContreau: Is it different for different kinds of files? – user541686 – 2011-06-23T03:03:46.237

all the files are the same type -pictures – chabad – 2011-06-23T03:06:06.707

@Mehrdad Yes, if the files are all opened by the same program, they can be opened by selecting them all and hitting enter, or right-clicking and hitting open. If they are not opened using the same program, you can't, and the open menu item won't be there when right-clicking. – KCotreau – 2011-06-23T03:07:48.357

Are they all opened with the same program? – KCotreau – 2011-06-23T03:09:04.830

AFAIK, you can't. – user541686 – 2011-06-23T03:02:58.250

when i right click it does not give me the option to Open(by 16+ files)is that wierd? – chabad – 2011-06-23T03:10:47.623

2@chabad Ahh, I understand the problem now. There is a limit. I will see if I can find a regisrty entry that breaks that limit. I was able to put 16 .jpg files in a folder, and if I click 15, the open menu is there, but click all 16, and no menu item. – KCotreau – 2011-06-23T03:13:10.617

This behavior is by design. Versions of Windows before Vista would return a warning dialog stating that the computer may stop responding if the user attempts to open too many files at once. See also this question: http://superuser.com/questions/58080/open-more-than-15-files-at-once-on-vista. The behavior is the same in Windows 7 as it is in Windows Vista, so this could be considered a possible duplicate (though not exact).

– bwDraco – 2011-06-23T04:01:22.713

Answers

Open regedit and navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

Add this case-sensitive DWORD (32-bit) key:

MultipleInvokePromptMinimum

Set the value to

P.S. 16 is not a hard number, but actually indicates "unlimited", so putting in 17 probably will not work.

For screenshots see the source: Opening, editing, and printing multiple files by right clicking limit

KCotreau

Posted 2011-06-23T03:01:09.427

Reputation: 24 985

2The value of the number does matter, at least on my setup of Windows 7. If I set mine to 50, I can open that many songs at once, but cannot open 51. – Addison – 2017-08-26T16:55:30.747

16 does not indicate unlimited, it just indicates the hex value of 16, because while you were entering it the radio button for hexadecimal was checked by default.16 in hex is 22, so the limit when following this answer would be 22. – Hashim – 2019-10-13T20:00:38.650

1+1 you just pwned me. :) Nice answer, this is actually very useful! Hope you get lots of upvotes! – user541686 – 2011-06-23T03:28:00.127

can i put in whatever number instead of 16? – chabad – 2011-06-23T03:40:31.437

@chabad Actually, if you read the last line, I just edited my answer a few minutes ago to address that exact question. – KCotreau – 2011-06-23T03:41:23.757

1Based on some of the (now deleted) non-answers below, it's worth pointing out that you apparently need to type the 16 in hexidecimal mode, not in binary mode. There should be a radio button to select hex/dec when you enter the value. – nhinkle – 2013-06-15T03:20:21.683

Depending on the application, it may be possible to use the File | Open dialog and select all the files (e.g. Microsoft Excel)

It could be more efficient too as the application will know best how to deal with the files (e.g. single instance / multiple instances, open them in a particular order, etc.)

golimar

Posted 2011-06-23T03:01:09.427

Reputation: 846