If you are not a fan of Google Drive taking a spot in your sidebar of the File Explorer in Windows 10, find out how to get rid of it in a few simple steps.
A really convenient feature of the major cloud storage solutions such as OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox is integrating themselves into the sidebar of the file explorer. This makes for added productivity gain for those who frequent their favorite cloud storage solution.
If you are somehow not a fan of this, particularly with the Google Drive icon and label, here is our relatively simple guide to adding or removing the Google Drive shortcut in the File Explorer.
Keep in mind that the guide is relatively harmless and involves the creation of registry (.reg) files. If you are not having much success with creating or running them, you can download our ready-made registry files from the relevant links with each system type: x86 / x64.
In order for you to carry out the guide, you must first find out the system type you have running on your installation. This guide works on all editions of Windows 10; Home, Pro, etc.
To determine the System Type you have, press Windows Key + X to open the quick access menu. In the new menu, click on System.
When you have System open, look for system type as highlighted in the image below to see if you are running a 64-bit (x64) OS or a 32-bit (x86) OS.
Once you have identified the system type you have in Windows 10, you can either make your own registry file by following our extensive guide on how to make a registry file.
Here are the bodies of text you need to copy / paste into the notepad files.
Remove Google Drive From Sidebar Navigation Pane
To remove Google Drive from the navigation pane, download the ready-made registry file. [Jumpshare link] After downloading it, just double-click to execute it.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}][-HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesWow6432NodeCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}]
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerDesktopNameSpace{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerHideDesktopIconsNewStartPanel]
“{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}”=-
Add Back Google Drive From Sidebar Navigation Pane
For 64-bit Windows users
If you want to add back the Google Drive icon to the navigation pane for file explorer in Windows 64-bit (x64), download and execute this registry file. [Jumpshare link]
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}]
@=”Google Drive”
“System.IsPinnedToNamespaceTree”=dword:00000001
“SortOrderIndex”=dword:00000042[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}DefaultIcon]
@=”C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Drive\googledrivesync.exe,0”[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}InProcServer32]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,59,00,53,00,54,00,45,00,4D,00,52,00,4F,00,4F,00,54,00,
25,00,5C,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6D,00,33,00,32,00,5C,00,73,00,68,
00,65,00,6C,00,6C,00,33,00,32,00,2E,00,64,00,6C,00,6C,00,00,00[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}Instance]
“CLSID”=”{0E5AAE11-A475-4c5b-AB00-C66DE400274E}”[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}InstanceInitPropertyBag]
“Attributes”=dword:00000011
“TargetFolderPath”=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,
00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,47,00,6f,00,6f,00,67,00,6c,00,65,00,20,00,
44,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,65,00,00,00[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}ShellFolder]
“FolderValueFlags”=dword:00000028
“Attributes”=dword:f080004d[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesWow6432NodeCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}]
@=”Google Drive”
“System.IsPinnedToNamespaceTree”=dword:00000001
“SortOrderIndex”=dword:00000042[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesWow6432NodeCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}DefaultIcon]
@=”C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Drive\googledrivesync.exe,0”[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesWow6432NodeCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}InProcServer32]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,59,00,53,00,54,00,45,00,4D,00,52,00,4F,00,4F,00,54,00,
25,00,5C,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6D,00,33,00,32,00,5C,00,73,00,68,
00,65,00,6C,00,6C,00,33,00,32,00,2E,00,64,00,6C,00,6C,00,00,00[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesWow6432NodeCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}Instance]
“CLSID”=”{0E5AAE11-A475-4c5b-AB00-C66DE400274E}”[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesWow6432NodeCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}InstanceInitPropertyBag]
“Attributes”=dword:00000011
“TargetFolderPath”=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,
00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,47,00,6f,00,6f,00,67,00,6c,00,65,00,20,00,
44,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,65,00,00,00[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesWow6432NodeCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}ShellFolder]
“FolderValueFlags”=dword:00000028
“Attributes”=dword:f080004d[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerHideDesktopIconsNewStartPanel]
“{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}”=dword:00000001[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerDesktopNameSpace{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}]
@=”Google Drive”
For 32-bit Windows users
If you want to add Google Drive to the navigation pane for file explorer in Windows 32-bit (x86) systems, download the ready-made registry file and execute it. [Jumpshare link] The code at the bottom is what that file contains. You can make it yourself if you like.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}]
@=”Google Drive”
“System.IsPinnedToNamespaceTree”=dword:00000001
“SortOrderIndex”=dword:00000042[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}DefaultIcon]
@=”C:\Program Files\Google\Drive\googledrivesync.exe,0”[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}InProcServer32]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,59,00,53,00,54,00,45,00,4D,00,52,00,4F,00,4F,00,54,00,
25,00,5C,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6D,00,33,00,32,00,5C,00,73,00,68,
00,65,00,6C,00,6C,00,33,00,32,00,2E,00,64,00,6C,00,6C,00,00,00[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}Instance]
“CLSID”=”{0E5AAE11-A475-4c5b-AB00-C66DE400274E}”[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}InstanceInitPropertyBag]
“Attributes”=dword:00000011
“TargetFolderPath”=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,
00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,47,00,6f,00,6f,00,67,00,6c,00,65,00,20,00,
44,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,65,00,00,00[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClassesCLSID{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}ShellFolder]
“FolderValueFlags”=dword:00000028
“Attributes”=dword:f080004d[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerHideDesktopIconsNewStartPanel]
“{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}”=dword:00000001[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerDesktopNameSpace{81539FE6-33C7-4CE7-90C7-1C7B8F2F2D41}]
@=”Google Drive”
Being a frequent visitor to OneDrive and Google Drive for my cloud storage needs, I really appreciate the placement in the navigation pane for helping me easily move files without going to the taskbar.
Let us know in the comments section below on what is your prefered cloud storage solution and whether you like its placement in the navigation pane within file explorer!