Windows 11 File Explorer

Windows 11 has a revamped File Explorer, with Home replacing Quick Access, tabs etc.

However, I found it somewhat overwhelming, I needed a clean and crisp structure.

File Explorer

In a first period of using Windows 11, I stuck to Show All folders, avoiding the three sections in the navigation pane. Downside was that it showed way too much folders under the root Desktop folder: Music, Pictures, Videos, Libraries, …

Then:

• I switched off Show All folders
• I removed all pinned items
• in the File Explorer options, under General > Open File Explorer to, I chose This PC

This left me with a two section navigation pane opening This PC, but without direct links to 'Desktop', 'Documents' and 'Downloads'. Ultimately, I used !WinaeroTweaker to achieve this.

Ultimate Windows Tweaker (5.x for Win11)

• Customization category > This PC tab

However, due to previous tweaks or interference with WinaeroTweaker, I couldn't get it done

WinaeroTweaker

• File Explorer category > Customize This PC Folders subcategory

There you have two options to add folders:

• Add custom folder
• Add shell location

Add shell location didn't always work right: when you opened File Explorer, the added folder appeared in the right pane, but not in the navigation pane to the left. Only when you clicked the folder in the right pane, did it appear to the left.

Add custom folder seemed to be the best solution. I used this and used a display name containing middots for easy retrieval in the registry.

Or you can choose Restore Windows 10 folders, and you get Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures and Videos instantly!

Group by (none)

Group by (none) is not possible for the custom folders.

I used WinSetView to achieve it!

This PC sometimes missing in File Explorer or Open/Save as dialog boxes

• regedit
• goto [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}]
• delete dword "System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree"

Open Win Explorer with all root folders collapsed, except the default one

If you close Windows Explorer and there are some OneDrive folders open, when you re-open Explorer, these folders are opened again and are shown as expanded in the Navigation pane.

If you want them to be closed every time you launch a new Explorer session - except for your default location (= the 'Open File Explorer to:' value from View > Options > Change folder and search options > General tab), then do the following:

• open the registry: regedit
• navigate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Modules\NavPane
• delete the !ExpandedState binary value
• then rightclick the !NavPane key and choose Permissions...
• click on Advanced
• click on Disable inheritance
• then remove your own name from the Permission entries

Open some folders in Explorer, then close and re-open Explorer: ta-da! 🎉

Unfortunately, you'll have to repeat the above steps after every feature update.

Sources:

• Reset Navigation Pane Expanded State in Windows 10 File Explorer
• How to disable a Windows registry key without deleting it - Stack Overflow

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See: https://superuser.com/questions/1753696/on-windows-11-22h2-22621-which-registry-keys-controls-whether-a-user-folder-i/1775260#1775260