Get the missing ‘UP’ button in VISTA Windows Explorer

Every PC user switching from XP to Vista, fondly remembers the ‘UP’ button in Windows Explorer, which allows you to quickly jump to one level up in the folder hierarchies. Most XP users are so accustomed to using this highly useful button, that it is very frustrating in the beginning, when you switch to Vista.

Mavis Applications, which are known for their innovative software developments, provide a small piece of download, which restores a shiny, bold UP button, just what you have been missing long. It is super easy to install and is light-weight, only 30 kb of RAM space !

But it is not free, you will have to pay a small sum of $5 for it, but you can download and use it free for the first five days.

There is yet another alternative, QTTabbar, which lets you get the UP button, along with the tabbed browsing functionality to Windows Explorer. I found a nice step-by-step guide for its installation here at How To Geek. and the best part is that it is FREE. But the installation of this tool is not that simple.

And here comes the best tool, in case you are just not knowing it. You know best is always revealed at last.

Simply use ALT + Up Arrow Key.

Its simple and its FREE.

I wonder, who will pay Mavis now.

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  1. Moldova on May 18th, 2008 at 9:05 am #

    If I would need to go up one level in my windows explorer I would use the ALT + Up Arrow Key rather than paying $5 for the Up button to be installed in my windows explorer.

    • Silki on May 18th, 2008 at 12:08 pm #

      Yes Maldova,
      That’s what many of us do. And that’s why I mentioned it in the last in post.

  2. Mike on August 21st, 2008 at 4:06 pm #

    As one who does not care for keyboard shortcuts (I already have enough crap to remember), I will be paying Mavis for the up button.

    Yes, I understand how breadcrumbs “works,” and yes I realize that the interface sometimes changes. However, not including an “up” button in Windows Vista is a travesty. I use this hundreds of times a day in XP, and alt+backspace and other keyboard shortcuts are not a replacement for me. Breadcrumbs is not a replacement, as each click is not in a consistent place and requires too much thinking when I just wish to go up a level.

    Also, having the toolbar of Windows Explorer locked down is just asinine. Please change this back to something sensible.

    Lack of an Up button and the inflexibility of Vista is what is keeping my company from upgrading to Vista, btw. I am sure this is true for many companies.

    • balle on January 15th, 2010 at 12:25 pm #

      I agree 100%.

      I'm a shortcut/command-line freak, but this button was very useful and I used it allot.

      In Vista everything seems to be hidden under more windows and buttons, but don't seem to offer much extra functionality. Why destroy something that already works?!

      Eventually though I had to ditch vista and go back to xp. I hope windows 7 will be better..

  3. Chris on November 8th, 2008 at 12:55 pm #

    Yeah this “feature” of Vista drove me insane on a daily basis. Well until I bought a new mouse with 8 buttons on it, because I refuse to hit alt up to go up one level in explorer. Freaking retarded to take out a simple user interface that does this.

    Although I think the absolutely worst feature of vista is the search. I stopped using it because it doesnt find a thing.

  4. up and away! on January 23rd, 2010 at 1:40 pm #

    Windows 7 Explorer still has no up arrow. Stupid and frustrating.

    • stillborn on February 4th, 2010 at 12:48 pm #

      alt+up is not a useful combination, i need to use my both hands and its not practical, i was very comfortable using "backspace" for parent folder , "enter" instead of double clicking and mouse for choosing folders.

      This change and the inability to customize it is just a big mistake of microsoft while trying to be a dummy user friendly os.

    • Virginia on April 15th, 2010 at 11:29 am #

      Couldn't agree more. I have resisted going to 7 mainly because I determined that there is still no "up" button. How could those Microsoft jerks be so stupid as to take out something so basic and intutitive as this? Probabaly some nerd sitting at a console decided "I don't use it, so I'll just take it out." Glad to hear there are others who feel the same way. Has anyone made these views known to Microsoft?

  5. Tim Sneller on January 27th, 2011 at 7:50 am #

    Alt-Up does not replace “Ctrl-Up Button” which opens the parent folder as a new window, and leaves the current folder open.