Windows 10: Folder visibility depends on how I navigate to it

The visibility of my folders depends on how I navigate to them, meaning that I am often looking for files that I know that I have saved but then find them later when I navige to the folder through another route.


The example below shows two views of the same folder (aquacrop). The view on the left was navigated to via a shortcut in the side bar to a folder lower down the folder structure (Research current) while the view on the righ was navigated to from the Local disc C: via users.







Does any one have any idea why Windows is doing this and how to fix it?


I have tried using a third party file explorer (Total Commander) but still get the same problem.

:)

 

Hide or Show User Profile's Personal Folders in Navigation Pane


Thank you in advance to everyone for your help and time. Hopefully this write-up is succinct.
I believe there has to be additional registry modifications to solve this issue.


Problem:
In the Navigation Pane, specifically regarding the Current User folder tree, a Personal Folder (i.e. 3D Objects, Contacts, Desktop, etc... ) continues to show even after making active the Hidden property for that Personal Folder.

Expected Results:
Any Personal Folder that is marked "Hidden" in the File/Folder Listings Area should also be hidden in the Navigation Pane specifically within the Current User folder tree.

Steps to recreate the issue: (the following steps assume that the option is deactivated to see hidden folders.)

1. Open File Explorer
2. Within Navigation Pane, Right-click over any blank area
3. Select menu-option "Show All Folders"
4. Select and Expand the Current User folder tree which is listed as a child object to the "Desktop" folder
5. Within the File/Folder Listings Area, Right-click on a Personal Folder
6. Select menu-option "Properties"
7. Within the new Dialogue window, Select the "General" tab, Select to Activate the Attribute "Hidden", Select the "OK" button
8. Close File Explorer and then Open File Explorer
9. Select the Current User folder in the Navigation Pane
10. Notice the recently-hidden folder is still showing in the Navigation Pane even though it is hidden in the File/Folder Listings Area.

System Specs:

• Edition: Windows 10 Home 64bit
• Version: 1709
• OS Build: 16299.371
• Hard Drives: 2 (SSD & Mechanical)
• C:\ = SSD
• D:\ = Mechanical

Current Modifications of System:

• The %UserProfile% system folder was successfully transferred to D:\ by using Sysprep during Windows Setup. This is the only system folder moved to another drive.

Current Modifications of File Explorer in Navigation Pane: (using Regedit)

• Hidden = Quick Access
• Hidden = Libraries
• Hidden = OneDrive
• Hidden = Homegroup
• Hidden = This PC user personal folders

Current Modifications of File Explorer in Folder/File Listing Area:

• Each unwanted Personal Folder was changed to "Hidden" by Right-clicking the folder and Checking the Attribute checkbox marked "Hidden".

3rd-Party Software Installed:

• Classic Shell
• Mozilla Firefox
• IObit Driver Booster
• Macrium Reflect

 

Hide or Show User Profile's Personal Folders in Navigation Pane


Hello Brink and thank you. This website is a very helpful resource.

Your suggested answer will hide the User Profile folder in the Navigation Pane.

Instead, this scenario involves not hiding the User Profile folder but hiding specific Personal Folders in the Navigation Pane that are marked "Hidden" in the Files/Folders Listing Area.

My suspicion is that there are more "PinToNamespace" registry entries for me to toggle the DWORD value.

 

Is it possible to remove folders from Windows explorer navigation pane?

-EDIT- I missed half of step 1. This should work now.

Yes you can, but it is not as easy as bigfr0g thinks. Follow these steps for each entry you wish to hide.

1. Press Win+R and type "regedit" to enter the Registry Editor.
   
2. Then paste: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions{THIS CHANGES DEPENDING ON FOLDER}\PropertyBag into the navigation bar.
   
3. You will arrive at a folder with several files. If you see a file called "ThisPCPolicy" Skip to step #6.
   
4. If there is no file, right-click the blank area of the folder. Hover over "New" and hit "String Value".
   
5. Name the string "ThisPCPolicy" and set it to a value of "Hide" Now skip to Step #7.
   
6. Open the file and set it to a value of "Hide"
   
7. Exit out of Registry Editor and make sure File Explorer is not open.
   
8. Open File Explorer and it should be gone. If it's not, try closing and opening File Explorer one more time.
   

In place of "THIS CHANGES DEPENDING ON FOLDER" add the corresponding IDs, whichever you want to hide.

Documents Folder: f42ee2d3-909f-4907-8871-4c22fc0bf756

Pictures Folder: 0ddd015d-b06c-45d5-8c4c-f59713854639

Videos Folder: 35286a68-3c57-41a1-bbb1-0eae73d76c95

Downloads Folder: 7d83ee9b-2244-4e70-b1f5-5393042af1e4

Music Folder: a0c69a99-21c8-4671-8703-7934162fcf1d

Desktop Folder: B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641

Hope this helps. If you ever want them back, follow the same instructions, except set the value to "Show".