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Guide to Adding or Removing OneDrive from the Navigation Pane in Windows 10 - Printable Version

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Guide to Adding or Removing OneDrive from the Navigation Pane in Windows 10 - Sneakyone - 09-09-2024

Guide to Adding or Removing OneDrive from the Navigation Pane in Windows 10

OneDrive is a cloud storage service integrated into Windows 10, and it automatically appears in the File Explorer’s navigation pane. If you do not use OneDrive or want to declutter the navigation pane, you can remove it. Alternatively, if you’ve removed OneDrive but want to restore it, you can easily add it back. This guide will show you how to add or remove OneDrive from the navigation pane in Windows 10.

Method 1: Remove OneDrive from Navigation Pane via Registry Editor

For advanced users, the easiest way to remove OneDrive from the navigation pane is through the Windows Registry Editor. This method works for all editions of Windows 10.

Steps to Remove OneDrive via Registry Editor:
1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path:
 
Code:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}
4. In the right-hand pane, double-click on System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree.
5. To remove OneDrive from the navigation pane, change the Value data to 0 and click OK.
6. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer. OneDrive will no longer appear in the File Explorer navigation pane.

Steps to Add OneDrive Back via Registry Editor:
1. Follow steps 1–4 from above to navigate to the same registry key.
2. To add OneDrive back to the navigation pane, change the Value data to 1 and click OK.
3. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer. OneDrive will now appear in the navigation pane.

Method 2: Unlink OneDrive from Your PC (Without Removing from Navigation Pane)

If you don’t want to remove OneDrive from the navigation pane entirely but want to stop using it, you can unlink your PC from OneDrive.

Steps to Unlink OneDrive:
1. Right-click the OneDrive icon in the taskbar notification area (near the clock).
2. Click on Settings.
3. In the Microsoft OneDrive settings window, go to the Account tab.
4. Click Unlink this PC.
5. Follow the prompts to confirm. OneDrive will be unlinked, but it will remain visible in the navigation pane, although it will no longer sync files.

Method 3: Uninstall OneDrive to Remove from Navigation Pane

If you no longer use OneDrive and want to completely remove it from your PC and the navigation pane, you can uninstall OneDrive.

Steps to Uninstall OneDrive:
1. Press Windows + I to open the Settings menu.
2. Click on Apps.
3. In the Apps & features section, scroll down and locate Microsoft OneDrive.
4. Click on OneDrive and select Uninstall.
5. Follow the prompts to uninstall OneDrive. Once uninstalled, OneDrive will be removed from the navigation pane.

Method 4: Reinstall OneDrive and Add it Back to the Navigation Pane

If you have uninstalled OneDrive and want to add it back to your system and navigation pane, you can easily reinstall it.

Steps to Reinstall OneDrive:
1. Download the OneDrive installer from Microsoft’s official website or from the following path if you're using a built-in Windows version:
 
Code:
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe
2. Run the installer and follow the prompts to reinstall OneDrive.
3. After installation, OneDrive will automatically be added back to the File Explorer navigation pane.

Method 5: Disable OneDrive via Group Policy Editor (Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise)

If you're using Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, you can use the Group Policy Editor to disable OneDrive. This will prevent OneDrive from running and remove it from the navigation pane.

Steps to Disable OneDrive via Group Policy:
1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. In the left-hand pane, navigate to the following path:
 
Code:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive
4. In the right-hand pane, double-click on Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage.
5. Select Enabled and click Apply, then OK.
6. This will disable OneDrive, and it will be removed from the navigation pane.

To re-enable OneDrive, follow the same steps and select Not Configured or Disabled.

Method 6: Hide OneDrive from File Explorer (Alternative Method)

If you don’t want to uninstall or disable OneDrive but prefer to hide it from the navigation pane, you can use an alternative method to hide it without affecting its functionality.

Steps to Hide OneDrive from File Explorer:
1. Open the Registry Editor by pressing Windows + R, typing regedit, and pressing Enter.
2. Navigate to the following key:
 
Code:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}
3. In the right pane, double-click on the System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree value.
4. Set the Value data to 0 to hide OneDrive from the navigation pane.
5. Click OK and restart your computer to apply the changes.
6. OneDrive will be hidden from the navigation pane, but it will still be functional if you need it later.

Conclusion

OneDrive is a helpful tool for cloud storage, but it may not be useful for everyone. Whether you want to remove OneDrive from the navigation pane, hide it, or reinstall it after removing it, this guide provides multiple methods to manage OneDrive in Windows 10. Choose the method that best suits your needs and follow the steps to customize your File Explorer accordingly.