An empty drive is a drive with no media. For example, a connected media card reader without a SD card inserted.
File Explorer will hide empty drives by default.
If you turn on Show all folders for the navigation pane in File Explorer, empty drives will always show in the navigation pane even if you turned on Hide empty drives.
If you turn on Show hidden files, folders, and drives in Folder Options, empty drives will always show as faded (dimmed) in File Explorer > This PC even if you turned on Hide empty drives.
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off Hide empty drives for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Contents
- Option One: Turn On or Off Hide Empty Drives in Folder Options
- Option Two: Turn On or Off Hide Empty Drives using BAT file
EXAMPLE: Empty drives in File Explorer > This PC
1 Open Folder Options.
2 Click/tap on the View tab. (see screenshot below)
3 Under the Navigation pane section, check (on - default) or uncheck (off) Hide empty drives for what you want.
4 Click/tap on OK.
1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you want.
2 Turn On Hide Empty Drives
This is the default setting.
This will also turn off Show all folders and Show hidden files, folders, and drives.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Hide_empty_drives_for_current_user.bat
(Content of BAT file for reference)
Code:
@echo off
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /V Hidden /T REG_DWORD /D 0 /F
REG Add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /V NavPaneShowAllFolders /T REG_DWORD /D 0 /F
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /V HideDrivesWithNoMedia /T REG_DWORD /D 1 /F
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe3 Turn Off Hide Empty Drives
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Show_empty_drives_for_current_user.bat
(Content of BAT file for reference)
Code:
@echo off
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /V HideDrivesWithNoMedia /T REG_DWORD /D 0 /F
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe4 Save the .bat file to your desktop.
5 unblock the .bat file.
6 Double click/tap on the .bat file to run it.
7 You will now notice your screen flicker as the explorer process is restarted to apply.
8 When finished, you can delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
