Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10  

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    Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10

    Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10

    How to Add or Remove Quick access in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Customization
    14 Mar 2021
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Add or Remove Quick access in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 10


    Windows 10 replaced Favorites from previous Windows with Quick access. The Quick access page is the shortest route to files you've been working on and folders you often use. These are your frequent folders and recent files.

    In Windows 10, File Explorer opens to Quick access by default which shows your Frequent folders and Recent files.
    • Frequent folders = Displays up to ten folders that you frequently opened on the system.
    • Recent files = Displays up to twenty files that you most recently opened.

    This tutorial will show you how to add or remove Quick access in the navigation pane of File Explorer for all users in Windows 10.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to add or remove Quick access in the navigation pane.

    Removing Quick access from the navigation pane will not clear the history of your frequent folders and recent files.



    Contents

    • Option One: Add or Remove Quick access in Navigation Pane of File Explorer (New Easy Method)
    • Option Two: Completely Add or Remove Quick access in Navigation Pane of File Explorer (Old Harder Method)



    EXAMPLE: Add or Remove "Quick access" in navigation pane
    Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10-add_quick_access_to_navigation_pane.jpg Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10-remove_quick_access_from_navigation_pane.jpg






    OPTION ONE

    Add or Remove Quick access in Navigation Pane of File Explorer (New Easy Method)


    This option will not remove Quick access from the older Open and Save as type common item dialog boxes. However, you are able to manually change the places bar items in common dialog boxes to remove Quick Access from them.
    Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10-common_items_dialog_box.png

    The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

    HubMode DWORD

    0 = Add
    1 = Remove


    1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you would like to do.


    2 To Add Quick access to Navigation Pane

    This is the default setting.

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

    Add_Quick_access_to_navigation_pane.reg

    Download


    3 To Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane

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

    Remove_Quick_access_from_navigation_pane.reg

    Download

    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 File Explorer is open, then close and reopen it to apply.

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






    OPTION TWO

    Completely Add or Remove Quick access in Navigation Pane of File Explorer (Old Harder Method)


    This option will completely remove Quick access from all locations, but doing so will also disable drag and drop to the navigation pane.


    1 Press the Win + R keys to open Run, type regedit into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

    2 If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.

    3 In Registry Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}\ShellFolder

    Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10-completely_remove_quick_access.png

    4 If you have not already, you will need to first change the owner of the ShellFolder registry key in the left pane to be the Administrators group. (see screenshot below step 3)

    5 If you have not already, you will need to second set permissions of the ShellFolder registry key in the left pane to "Allow" the Administrators group "Full control". (see screenshot below step 3)

    6 In the right pane of ShellFolder, double click/tap on the Attributes DWORD to modify it. (see screenshot below step 3)

    7 Do step 8 (remove) or step 9 (add) below for what you want.


    8 To Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane

    A) Type in a0600000, click/tap on OK, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below)

    Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10-remove_quick_access.png


    9 To Add Quick access to Navigation Pane

    This is the default setting.

    A) Type in a0100000, click/tap on OK, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below)

    Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10-add_quick_access.png

    10 When finished, close Registry Editor.

    11 Restart the explorer process, Sign out and sign in or restart the computer to apply.


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 17,838
    Windows 10
       #1

    Nice one Shawn!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Thank you Edwin. :)
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 255
    Win 10 64bit
       #3

    Wow, this took a bit of working through, Shawn, making sure all the permissions were changed etc.

    Then when I got to Step 8 and linked to the tutorial to set File Explorer to open up to This PC instead of Quick Access I realized I'd achieved what I wanted to do in this one step. Quick Access is still in the navigation pane, but only opens if I want it to, so it's no longer irritating me. So I stopped there.

    Does it matter that I left the ownership set to Administrators and gave this group full control or should I go back and change it again? I'm not sure I can remember the original ownership setting.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Hey Maggi,

    I'm happy that you got it set how you wanted.

    Nar, it won't hurt anything to leave the owner and permissions for the Administrators group. :)
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 46
    64-bit 10240 10 Pro
       #5

    I tried this process and nothing changed. See Attached:
    Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10-quick-access.png

    Has this procedure Changed?

    Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10-qa.png
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 46
    64-bit 10240 10 Pro
       #6

    Nevermind it is OK
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Good. What turned out to be the problem?

      My Computers


  8. Posts : 46
    64-bit 10240 10 Pro
       #8

    Well I was under the impression that all of the marked items in the image below would be gone.

    Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10-trr.png
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #9

    You have "This PC" open in your screenshot instead of "Quick access".

    Did you restart the PC afterwards to no longer see Quick access?
      My Computers


 

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