General Add or Remove Libraries in File Explorer Navigation Pane in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove Libraries in the navigation pane of File Explorer for your account or all users in Windows 11.

Windows 7 introduced libraries, which provide users with a single, coherent view of their files even when those files are stored in different locations. Libraries can be configured and organized by a user and a library can contain folders that are found on the user's computer and also folders that have been shared over a network. Libraries present a simpler view of the underlying storage system because, to the user, the files and folders in a library are displayed in one single view location, no matter where they are actually physically stored.

In File Explorer, users interact with libraries in ways similar to how they would interact with other folders. Libraries are built upon the legacy known folders (such as Camera Roll, Documents, Music, Pictures, Saved Pictures, and Videos), and these known folders are automatically included in the default libraries and set as the default save location.

References:

The navigation pane is the far left pane in File Explorer used to find files, folders, and drives on your PC or network.

If you turn on Show all folders in the navigation pane, Libraries will always show in the navigation pane.

Your libraries are located in the hidden %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries folder.

EXAMPLE: Libraries showing in navigation pane of File Explorer







1 Open File Explorer (Win+E).

2 Right click or press and hold on an empty area inside the navigation pane, and click/tap on Show libraries to toggle add (checked) or remove (unchecked - default) for what you want. (see screenshot below)







1 Open Folder Options.

2 Click/tap on the View tab. (see screenshot below)

3 Under the Navigation pane section, check (add) or uncheck (remove - default) Show libraries for what you want.

4 Click/tap on OK.







1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you would like to do.





(Contents of REG file for reference)

This is the default setting.

(Contents of REG file for reference)

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

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

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

7 If File Explorer is currently open, then close and reopen File Explorer to apply.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

Removing a library from showing under Libraries in the navigation pane of File Explorer will not remove the actual library from Libraries.

1 Open Libraries in File Explorer (Win+E).

2 Right click or press and hold on the library (ex: "Saved Pictures") you want to add or remove, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot below)


3 Check (add - default) or uncheck (remove) Show in navigation pane under Attributes for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.

1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you want.

This is the default setting.

(Contents of REG file for reference)

This will completely remove Libraries from the File Explorer navigation pane even if Show all folders is turned on.

(Contents of REG file for reference)

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

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

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

7 Either restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink