How to Hide OneDrive from File Explorer

If you're tired of seeing OneDrive cluttering up your File Explorer, there's good news: you can hide it.

One way to do this is by disabling the OneDrive shortcut in File Explorer's navigation pane.

This can be done by going to File Explorer, clicking on the View tab, and unchecking the box next to "OneDrive" in the Show/hide section.

Once you've unchecked the box, OneDrive will no longer appear in the navigation pane.

OneDrive not showing in File Explorer can be frustrating, but there are several common issues that might be the culprit.

There are a few common reasons OneDrive doesn't show files and folders properly in File Explorer, including issues with user permissions.

One of these issues is if the OneDrive folder is missing from File Explorer, which can be caused by a few different things.

Another issue is if the OneDrive folder is hidden, but this is usually not the case as OneDrive is designed to sync files and folders.

If you're experiencing issues with OneDrive not showing in File Explorer, it's possible that the OneDrive folder is not properly set up.

Sometimes, the OneDrive folder is not synced with the cloud, which can prevent it from showing in File Explorer.

To check if you've successfully hidden OneDrive from File Explorer, head to the File Explorer settings by clicking on the "View" tab in the ribbon and selecting "Options".

OneDrive will no longer be visible in File Explorer, but you can still access it through the "Quick access" or "Favorites" sections if you've pinned it there.

If you want to restore OneDrive to its original position, go back to the File Explorer settings and uncheck the box next to "OneDrive" under the "Favorites" section.

You can also check if OneDrive is hidden by looking at the "Navigation pane" in File Explorer, which should no longer display the OneDrive icon.

Keep in mind that hiding OneDrive from File Explorer won't affect your ability to access and use it, it just changes where it appears.

Sometimes OneDrive disappears in File Explorer due to simple user interface settings getting toggled, like hidden files visibility.

Fortunately, fixing each of these issues is usually very straightforward.

If "Hidden Items" got toggled off, OneDrive might not be visible in File Explorer.

Toggling "Hidden Items" back on usually resolves this issue.

If you're a Pro or Enterprise user, you're in luck because disabling OneDrive with the Local Group Policy Editor is a breeze. This powerful tool allows you to hide OneDrive from File Explorer and completely disable access to it.

To get started, hit Start, type "gpedit.msc" and press Enter. This will open the Local Group Policy Editor, where you'll need to drill down to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive.

Double-click the "Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage" policy setting, set it to "Enabled", and click "OK." This will completely disable access to OneDrive, hiding it from File Explorer and preventing users from launching it.

You shouldn't uninstall OneDrive from the Control Panel or Settings application if you use this method. If you do, you'll continue to see an empty OneDrive folder in File Explorer.

To undo this change, head back to the Local Group Policy Editor and change the policy to "Not Configured" instead of "Enabled."

If you're a Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise user, you can disable OneDrive with the Local Group Policy Editor, a powerful tool that's worth learning about.

To get started, hit Start, type "gpedit.msc", and press Enter. This will open the Local Group Policy Editor.

In the left pane, drill down to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive. Double-click the "Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage" policy setting in the right pane, set it to "Enabled", and click "OK."

This completely disables access to OneDrive, hiding it from File Explorer and preventing users from launching it. You won't be able to access OneDrive at all, not even from within Windows Store apps or use the camera roll upload feature.

Note that you shouldn't uninstall OneDrive from the Control Panel or Settings application if you use this method. If you do, you'll continue to see an empty OneDrive folder in File Explorer.

You can remove OneDrive from File Explorer by disabling the OneDrive folder in the File Explorer settings. This will stop OneDrive from syncing files and remove it from the File Explorer navigation pane.

To do this, go to File Explorer settings and uncheck the box next to "OneDrive" in the "Favorites" section. This will remove the OneDrive folder from the File Explorer navigation pane.

Disabling OneDrive will also remove the OneDrive sync icon from the taskbar.