General Remove Quick Access Folders from Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 11

Quick access is part of Home in File Explorer (Win+E).

Quick access allows you to quickly access and view your pinned folders and frequent folders from within Home in File Explorer, and from the navigation pane of File Explorer when Show all folders is turned off.

If you don't like seeing all your pinned folders and frequent folders showing on the navigation pane of File Explorer, then you can remove them all to stop showing. This will also remove the Quick access section from Home in File Explorer.

This tutorial will show you how to stop showing Quick access folders on the navigation pane of File Explorer for your account in Windows 11.


EXAMPLE: Quick access folders on navigation pane of File Explorer






Here's How:

1 Open Folder Options.

2 Perform the following steps to stop showing frequent folders in Quick access: (see screenshot below)

1. Click/tap on the General tab.
2. Under Privacy, uncheck Show frequently used folders.
3. Click/tap on OK to apply.

3 Open File Explorer (Win+E).

4 Perform the following steps on each folder pinned to Quick access to remove them: (see screenshot below)

1. Right click on a pinned folder in the navigation pane.
2. Click/tap on Unpin from Quick access.

That's it,
Shawn Brink