A system and method for user modification of metadata in a shell browser. A group of items and associated metadata values are displayed in a window of the shell browser. An edit control permits user modification of metadata values displayed in the window. The user can modify metadata associated with a welcome pane, a selected item, or multiple selected items. A data structure stored on one or more computer-readable media contains metadata associated with items displayed in a shell browser, including user modifiable metadata which is also displayed in the shell browser.