How to Add a Custom Folder under “This PC” in Explorer?

49 thoughts on “How to Add a Custom Folder under “This PC” in Explorer?”

1. What would be the appropriate values for adding the Recycle Bin under This PC? Is the folder’s GUID really the only thing that matters?

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2. Anon: You can try something like System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree (DWORD:0x00000001) for Recycle Bin GUID, and implement the GUID under My Computer namespace. No need to generate another shell object instance as above.

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3. I like to put Google Drive under my PC like Microsoft’s OneDrive is listed. Will this work?

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   • @Davin. Sure.. can be done. Pl check out https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/pin-google-drive-navigation-pane/

4. You can also just drop the shortcut into “%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts” and not mess with the registry at all. It will show up in exactly the same place in the nav pane.

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   • @Rod B: That didn’t work. It did however add the item under Network category in the main window. But no shortcut showed up in the nav pane.

   • Thank you! Found this a while ago and it works perfectly! Then couldn’t find it again when I switch job and has been desperate to find it again! So glad I finally did!

     It is important that you don’t drag and drop the shortcut to “%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts”.

     Instead you have to right-click the actual folder you want to appear under “This PC”, choose “copy”, go to “%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts”, right-click and choose “Paste Shortcut”. It’ll instantly appear. Has worked for me with three different PCs now

5. Using the method I mentioned, adding Recycle Bin is very simple: (1) show the icon on the desktop if it’s not there already, (2) right click and Create Shortcut, (3) move the shortcut to the folder I specified

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6. @Ramesh My apologies, I realize now I ended up on a post for Win10. This method works on 8.1

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   • @Rod B: No worries. I learnt something new. Shall test that out in 8.1 certainly.

7. This worked for 1 folder, giving me a total of 8 folders (7 default ones plus my custom one). However, when I tried to add a 9th, the folder does not show in This PC.

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8. For some weird reason, navigating to subfolders in one of these links is damn slow. I don’t know why. Going to the linked folder the default way is fast as always.

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9. In some file dialogs the new systempaths are not shown.
   For example in the one Adobe is useing.

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   • @Jonas: For 32-bit apps to see the custom folder, the setting has to be duplicated under HKCR\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node key. The article has now been updated!

10. Thanks a lot

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11. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{d464e152-bde0-4a84-9160-bd183268ad35} branch missing for me

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12. how do you undo this

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13. I successfully added a custom folder under this pc using your blog.
    I’m hardly trying to achieve what happens with the default user shell folders like music, pictures and the others.
    That is, if I type win key + r and write down the path C:\Users\username\Pictures explorer opens with the pictures folder selected on the left navigation pane.
    This does not happen with the custom folder added under this pc, instead the c drive is selected on the navigation pane.
    I tried all the possible registry tweaks but with no success.
    Is it possible to make so that explorer recognizes the custom folder added under this pc and acts like it does with the default folders under this pc?

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14. Hi,
    I’ve successfully added a new Folder under the Win10 ‘This PC’ tree..

    But apparently the folder name still shown as ‘Videos’, no matter what i do to the (Default) value on main key. (i did also on the Wow6432Node)

    Is there any trick to do rename it ?

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    • oh, nvm..

      I just need to restart my PC.
      Thanks, cheers!

15. Thanks!

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16. Doent’s work for me, it says “not available”. (W10)

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    • @Poll: Can you kindly upload or send me the exact registry settings you used, so that I can repro the issue?

    • What was the solution for this issue please?
      I created a folder but is not available when I want to open it.

17. Thanks for this tutorial.
    According to my test, the Default value where you enter “My Tools” has no impact, if you try to change it to “My Own Tools”, it doesn’t reflect in the navigation pane of Windows Explorer. It automatically takes the name of the folder you’re pointing to.

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    • @Gilles: this is interesting. It works fine here, even on Windows 10 20H2. Can you send me the registry exports ?

18. Mine doesn’t work I just got a folder in this pc with no name an I can’t open it I followed everything exactly and I even double checked. I’m on Windows 10 Pro.

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    • @Chamath: Can you share the registry settings or screenshot here?

    • Here’s a google drive link to a screenshot and a copy of my HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE file

    • @Chamath: It appears that you’ve skipped steps #12 and 13 in the above tutorial.

      #12: “Delete the TargetKnownFolder value, as we’re going to add a custom folder path”
      #13: “Create a string value (REG_SZ) named TargetFolderPath and set its value data, with the full folder path.”

      That should fix the problem.

    • @Ramesh here’s link to a screenshot and my registry file
      https://link_removed

19. Sorry about saying the same thing twice. Your website does not load new replies when entered throgh a bookmark. Anyways thanks for the reply now it works perfectly.

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    • @Chamath: Excellent. Thanks for the update.

20. This really did help as I was able to make a custom folder. However, it ended up my my D drive, so with that being said, how do I save my custom folder under my C drive instead?

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    • @Nicole: You can change the “TargetFolderPath” value data in the registry to make it link to the right folder/drive.

21. The easier way is using winareo tweaker. Download and install de software, then go to section “File Explorer” -> “Customize This PC Folders” -> You can add and remove any folder you desire

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22. How to apply Different Folder Icon. It is very hard to find the suitable icon by changing the number 35 of shell32.dll,35. Can you give me the Icon and its Number in Shell32 for Windows 10.

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    • @Kichu: which icon are you looking for?

    • Actually I want all Icon picture in shell32.dll with there number so in future also it becomes easy to find. Does there any file do you with all the number and with picture of icon.

      Anyway, I want to ask a question.
      In windows 10, This PC has many inbuild folders( eg Downloads) we can see two different icon, one with Yellow file and Downward arrow symbol. and another in the nav panel with only downward arrow symbol only But when I tried to set Two different folder icon one in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{6bb5b14c-464f-43a7-bbc8-4ae47d072ed7}\DefaultIcon
      and another in
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{6bb5b14c-464f-43a7-bbc8-4ae47d072ed7}\DefaultIcon
      Only one is set two both.
      What is the reason? Does i did Wrong?

    • You can browse shell32.dll using icon picker dialog via shortcut properties. The index starts from 0.

      Alternately, use IconsExtract from Nirsoft.net.

      Regarding the 2nd question, let me repro the problem and then post back.

    • Ramesh Thankyou for the effort.
      I finally got the icon number correctly. Now I get it, Starts form 0 And you have to just look the correct order it is displayed not the number it has. For example There is a icon number 144 But if we count until it, its number is 64 and you have to Start counting with 0 First.
      Thanks for the knowledge you have given to me
      Thanks a lot

    • @Kichu: Thanks for the feedback.

23. Thank you for the article, i’m trying to pin a custom location along with it’s sub-items
    How can new folders be added to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ ?
    I want to pin sub-items to my folder in the following way, for eg:
    Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyCustomFolder\NameSpace\{Set of CLSIDs of sub-items}

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24. This is amazing. If we could only find a way to do this with a GPO that would be amazing. I mean without spending 2 hours making lots of reg entries to the GPO. Thank you for posting this though. I appreciate it.

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25. thanks very much!!!!!!!!!!!! very useful!!!!!!

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26. Hi, thanks for this post. I have followed the instructions and the folder is visible but when I click on it it comes up saying it is unavailable like it can’t find the location. I have designated my storage drive (D) in the registry. When I click on my actual D drive it shows all my folders from This PC but this new folder is not showing there along with the others. it is as if the new custom folder I made is just a shortcut only.

    Hope you have an idea of why this could be?
    Kind regards
    James

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    • @James: Can you upload your custom registry settings (.reg file) to pastebin and post the link here?

27. how do i delete a folder when it’s been added this way?

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    • By deleting every registry key you just created.