Windows 10: Show or Hide Navigation Pane in File Explorer in Windows 10

How to: Show or Hide Navigation Pane in File Explorer in Windows 10


Information You can use the navigation pane in File Explorer to browse locations such as Quick access, OneDrive, Libraries, This PC, Network, and Homegroup. You can also move or copy items directly to a destination in the navigation pane.

This tutorial will show you how to show or hide the navigation pane in File Explorer for your user account in Windows 10.


Note Setting the navigation pane to show or hide in File Explorer is a global setting that is applied to all folders, and not just in the current folder.

You can drag the right border of the navigation pane left and right to increase or decrease its width in File Explorer.

CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Show or Hide Navigation Pane from File Explorer Ribbon
• Option Two: To Show or Hide Navigation Pane using a REG file

EXAMPLE: Navigation pane in File Explorer








OPTION ONE [/i] To Show or Hide Navigation Pane from File Explorer Ribbon
1. While in File Explorer, click/tap on the View (Alt+V) tab, click/tap on the Navigation pane button in the ribbon, and click/tap on Navigation pane in the menu to toggle to show (checked) and hide (unchecked) the navigation pane. (see screenshot below)









OPTION TWO [/i] To Show or Hide Navigation Pane using a REG file
1. Do step 2 (show) or step 3 (hide) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Show Navigation Pane in File Explorer
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Show_Navigation_pane_in_File_Explorer.reg

Download
3. To Hide Navigation Pane in File Explorer
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Hide_Navigation_pane_in_File_Explorer.reg

Download
4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. If you currently have File Explorer open, then close and reopen or navigate to another folder to apply.

8. If you like, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Show or Hide Details Pane in File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Show or Hide Preview Pane in File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Hide or Show Status Bar in File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Add Navigation pane to Context Menu in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off OneDrive Cloud States for Navigation Pane in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Navigation Pane 'Show all folders' in Windows 10
• Turn On or Off Automatically Expand to Current Folder in Navigation Pane in Windows 10
• How to Reset Navigation Pane Width Size to Default in Windows
• How to Add or Remove Drives in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Favorites in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Homegroup in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Libraries in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Network in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove OneDrive in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Quick access in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Recycle Bin in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove This PC in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove User Folder in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Places Bar in Common Dialog Box in Windows
• How to Reset Navigation Pane Expanded State in Windows 10 File Explorer

:)

 

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

 

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.

 

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

 

preview/details pane in explorer

Hi,

Setting the Preview pane to show or hide in File Explorer will apply to all folders. If you wish to hide the Preview pane in File Explorer, we suggest that you follow the steps below:

• Open File Explorer.
• Tap on View tab.
• Click Preview Pane to view/hide it.

We would appreciate it if you could get back to us and provide us your feedback.

 

How can I hide or disable the File Explorer Preview Pane, Details Pane, and Navigation Pane in Windows 10

Hello,

Somehow I inadvertently changed the File Explorer Settings in Windows 10. How can I hide or disable the File Explorer Preview Pane, Details Pane, and Navigation Pane in Windows 10?

Thanks,