This tutorial will show you how to move Gallery to show at the top or bottom of the navigation pane in File Explorer for your account in Windows 11.
Starting with Windows 11 version 22H2 KB5030310 Build 22621.2361, Microsoft is introducing Gallery, a new feature 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.
A new Add Phone Photos button in the Command Bar in File Explorer Gallery will help with setting up your PC to be ready to show photos from your phone via OneDrive in Gallery. Clicking this button will open a URL with a OneDrive QR code that you can scan with your phone to get started.
If you like, you can move Gallery to show at the bottom of the navigation pane just above This PC in File Explorer.
This will not work if Show all folders is turned on for the navigation pane of File Explorer.
EXAMPLE: Gallery at the top and bottom of the navigation pane in File Explorer
Here's How:
1 Do step 2 (top) or step 3 (bottom) below for what you would like to do.
2 Move Gallery to Top of 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 4 below.
Default_Gallery_at_top_of_navigation_pane_in_File_Explorer.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{e88865ea-0e1c-4e20-9aa6-edcd0212c87c}]
@="Gallery"
"SortOrderIndex"=dword:000000413 Move Gallery 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 4 below.
Move_Gallery_to_bottom_of_navigation_pane_in_File_Explorer.reg
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{e88865ea-0e1c-4e20-9aa6-edcd0212c87c}]
@="Gallery"
"SortOrderIndex"=dword:000000494 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 (WIN+E) to apply.
8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- Show or Hide Navigation Pane in File Explorer in Windows 11
- Add or Remove Gallery in File Explorer Navigation Pane in Windows 11
- Add or Remove Folder Locations for File Explorer Gallery in Windows 11
- Reset and Restore Default Folders for File Explorer Gallery in Windows 11
- Select Folder to Show in File Explorer Gallery in Windows 11
- Change Folder Order in File Explorer Gallery Collection drop menu in Windows 11
- Change Default Save Locations for File Explorer Gallery in Windows 11
