View new folders using

Select the default view for folders. When you open a folder, the folder is displayed in the view that you select. This can be either the icon view or the list view.

Arrange items

Select the characteristic by which you want to sort the items in folders that are displayed in this view.

Sort folders before files

Select this option to list folders before files when you sort a folder.

Show hidden and backup files

Select this option to display files that are normally not shown in folders. For more on hidden files, see the section called “Hidden Files”.

Icon View Default zoom level

There are two settings, one for the icon view and one for the list view. Select the default zoom level for folders that are displayed in this view. The zoom level specifies the size of items in a view.

Use compact layout

Select this option to arrange the items in icon view so that the items in the folder are closer to each other.

Text beside icons

Select this option to place the icon captions for items beside the icon rather than under the icon.

Show only folders

Select this option to display only folders in the Tree in the side pane.

Single click to activate items

Select this option to perform the default action for an item when you click on the item. When this option is selected, and you point to an item, the title of the item is underlined.

Double click to activate items

Select this option to perform the default action for an item when you double-click on the item.

Always open in browser windows

Select this option to use nautilus in browser mode rather than spatial mode. Selecting this lets you browse your files and folders in the same window, otherwise you will navigate your files and folders as objects.

Always use text entry location bar.

Select this option to force Nautilus to use the Location bar in location field mode instead of the button bar mode by default. For more on using the location bar see the section called “Using the Location Bar”.

Run executable text files when they are clicked

Select this option to run an text executable file when you choose the file. An executable text file is a text file that can execute, that is, a shell script.

View executable text files when they are clicked

Select this option to display the contents of an executable text file when you choose the executable text file.

Ask each time

Select this option to display a dialog when you choose an executable text file. The dialog asks whether you want to execute the file or display the file.

Ask before emptying the Trash or deleting files

Select this option to display a confirmation message before Trash is emptied, or files are deleted. Leave this selected unless you have good reason not to.

Include a Delete command that bypasses Trash

Select this option to add a Delete menu item to the following menus:

When you select an item then choose the Delete menu item, the item is deleted from your file system immediately. There is no way to recover a deleted file. Do not select this unless you have good reason to.

Show text in icons

Select an option to specify when to preview the content of text files in the icon that represents the file.

Show thumbnails

Select an option to specify when to show thumbnails of image files. The file manager stores the thumbnail files for each folder in a .thumbnails directory in the user's Home Folder.

Only for files smaller than

Specify the maximum file size for files for which the file manager creates a thumbnail.

Preview sound files

Select an option to specify when to preview sound files.

Count number of items

Select an option to specify when to show the number of items in folders. When in icon view, you might need to increase your zoom level to see the number of items in each folder.