Personalization Add "Show Gallery" on Navigation Pane to Folder Options in Windows 11

Brink · Aug 2, 2024

This tutorial will show you how to add the "Show Gallery" on File Explorer Navigation Pane setting to Folder Options for all users in Windows 11.

Gallery in File Explorer designed to make it easy to access your photo collection. The content in Gallery is the same as what you see in the All Photos view in the Photos app. Your most recently taken photos appear at the top of Gallery. This includes photos from your phone if you have OneDrive Camera Roll Backup set up.

Gallery displays the contents of the Pictures library. When you include a folder, the files appear in the Gallery but continue to be stored in their original locations.

You can choose which folders are shown in Gallery through the Collection dropdown. You can also add subfolders of existing sources to filter to a subset of your content, such as desktop backgrounds and SD card/camera imports.

Gallery also works from the file picking dialog, bringing that same ease of use to situations such as inserting attachments, building a PowerPoint deck, or crafting social media posts.

Adding the Show Gallery setting to Folder Options will make it easy for users to turn on or off showing Gallery on the navigation pane of File Explorer on demand for their account when Show all folders is turned off.

You must be signed in as an administrator to add or remove "Show Gallery" in Folder Options.

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

EXAMPLE: "Show Gallery" in Folder Options, and Gallery on File Explorer navigation pane

Here's How:

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

2 Add "Show Gallery" to Folder Options

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Add_ShowGallery_to_Folder_Options.reg

Download

(Contents of REG file for reference)

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\NavPane\ShowGallery]
"CheckedValue"=dword:00000001
"DefaultValue"=dword:00000001
"HKeyRoot"=dword:80000001
"Id"=dword:0000000d
"RegPath"="Software\\Classes\\CLSID\\{e88865ea-0e1c-4e20-9aa6-edcd0212c87c}"
"Text"="Show Gallery"
"Type"="checkbox"
"UncheckedValue"=dword:00000000
"ValueName"="System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree"

3 Remove "Show Gallery" from Folder Options

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Remove_ShowGallery_from_Folder_Options.reg

Download

(Contents of REG file for reference)

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\NavPane\ShowGallery]

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 Folder Options is open, then close and reopen it to apply.

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

That's it,
Shawn Brink