Personalization Add or Remove Windows C Drive in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 11


Windows_drive_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Windows C: Drive in the navigation pane of File Explorer for your account in Windows 11.

All drives are shown under the This PC group in the navigation pane of File Explorer by default.

Removable drives are shown as separate groups in the navigation pane of File Explorer by default in addition to being shown under the This PC group in the navigation pane.

You could Pin to Quick access the Windows C: drive to also have it under the Home group in the navigation pane.

If you like, you can add the Windows C: Drive as its own separate group to the top or bottom of the navigation pane of File Explorer for even easier and faster access.


EXAMPLE: Windows "C: Drive" at top or bottom of navigation pane in File Explorer

Add_Windows_C_drive_to_top_of_navigation_pane.png
Add_Windows_C_drive_to_bottom_of_navigation_pane.png



Here's How:

1 Do step 2 (add top), step 3 (add bottom), or step 4 (remove) below for what you want.

2 Add Windows C Drive to Top of Navigation Pane in File Explorer

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.​

Add_C_Drive_to_top_of_navigation_pane_of_File_Explorer.reg​


If wanted, you can edit the REG file below to change the drive name in red for the @="C: Drive" lines to whatever name you want to show in the navigation pane.


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}]
@="C: Drive"
"System.IsPinnedToNamespaceTree"=dword:00000001
"SortOrderIndex"=dword:0000003c

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):69,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
  00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,36,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}\InProcServer32]
@=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,57,00,49,00,4e,00,44,00,4f,00,57,00,53,00,5c,00,73,\
  00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,\
  6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}\Instance]
"CLSID"="{0E5AAE11-A475-4c5b-AB00-C66DE400274E}"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]
"Attributes"=dword:00000011
"TargetFolderPath"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}\ShellFolder]
"FolderValueFlags"=dword:00000028
"Attributes"=dword:f080004d

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}]
@="C: Drive"

3 Add Windows C Drive to Bottom of Navigation Pane in File Explorer

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.​

Add_C_Drive_to_bottom_of_navigation_pane_of_File_Explorer.reg​


If wanted, you can edit the REG file below to change the drive name in red for the @="C: Drive" lines to whatever name you want to show in the navigation pane.


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}]
@="C: Drive"
"System.IsPinnedToNamespaceTree"=dword:00000001
"SortOrderIndex"=dword:00000050

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):69,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
  00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,36,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}\InProcServer32]
@=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,57,00,49,00,4e,00,44,00,4f,00,57,00,53,00,5c,00,73,\
  00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,\
  6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}\Instance]
"CLSID"="{0E5AAE11-A475-4c5b-AB00-C66DE400274E}"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]
"Attributes"=dword:00000011
"TargetFolderPath"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}\ShellFolder]
"FolderValueFlags"=dword:00000028
"Attributes"=dword:f080004d

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}]
@="C: Drive"

4 Remove Windows C Drive from Navigation Pane in File Explorer

This is the default setting.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.​

Remove_C_Drive_from_navigation_pane_of_File_Explorer.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}"=-

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{445a2e0d-9142-4458-a84a-66dee0196d3c}]

5 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

6 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.

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

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

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

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


That's it,
Shawn Brink


Related Tutorials

 

Attachments

Last edited:
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@Brink
I have compiled my knowledge - assisted by Claude AI - into a concise technical guide on creating arbitrary objects in the Explorer navigation pane / “This PC” (including the relevant registry keys and behavior).
Repository link: Nilesoft-Shell-Snippets/ext.others/treeview.guide.md at main · RubicBG/Nilesoft-Shell-Snippets I am fairly confident that everything described in the documentation works as expected, but I would appreciate an independent review or verification. If the topic seems useful for ElevenForum members, it may be worth creating a dedicated post or tutorial thread. I would be glad to help refine the content if needed.
 

My Computer My Computer

OS
Windows 11 Pro 64-bit (22621.2283)
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
Acer Aspire 7
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8750H CPU @ 2.20GHz
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