Windows 7 - Library - Remove a Included Folder

**Brink**

How to Remove a Included Folder from a Library in Windows 7

Information

This will show you how to remove a included folder so that it's contents will no longer be included in a library in Windows 7.

Note

Libraries let you access and arrange items from one or more folders quickly without moving them from their original location. Libraries themselves don't store your files or folders. Instead, they point to different folders on your hard disk, or on an external drive attached to your computer. This gives you easy access to a category of files no matter where they are stored. For instance, if you have music files on your hard disk and on an external drive, you can access all of your music files from the Music library.

For more information about Windows 7 Libraries see Understanding Windows 7 Libraries - Windows 7 for Developers - The Windows Blog.

Here's How:

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. Right click on the User Name button and click on Open. (See screenshot below)

3. From the Library Properties Page -
A) Right click on the library (ex: Music) that you want to remove the included folder from, and click on Properties. (See screenshot below)

B) Select (highlight) the included folder you want to remove from the library, and click on the Remove button. (See screenshot below)

D) Click on OK. (See screenshot above)

E) Go to step 6.

4. From Inside the Library -
A) Open the library (ex: Music) that you want to remove the included folder from. (See screenshot below step 3A)

B) Click on the # locations toolbar button. (See screenshot below)

C) Select (highlight) the included folder you want to remove from the library, and click on the Remove button. (See screenshot below)

D) Click on OK. (See screenshot above)

E) Close the library window when done. (See screenshot below step 4B)

F) Go to step 6.

5. From the Navigation Pane -
A) Click on the drop down triangle to the left of the Library, that you want remove a included folder from, to expand it. (See screenshot below step 5B)

B) Right click on the included folder (subfolder) under the library, and click on Remove Location from library. (See screenshot below)

6. Close the Libraries window when done. (See screenshot below step 3A)

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

DBsantos77 · 06-13-2009

THANK YOU! I could not figure out how to do it, was starting to pull my hair out! Thanks again,

By the way there's a misspelling on the "Note" part of the page. "from their original locatation"

Just want to keep your kick ass site in good shape

**Brink** · 06-13-2009

You're welcome DBsantos.

OOPS, typo corrected. Thank you.

scottsmithtech · 08-24-2009

Anyway to remove the Public Folders in the Libraries via GPO?

**Brink** · 08-24-2009

Hello Scott,

Not that I'm aware of. You can remove them using the method in this tutorial to each of the 4 default Libraries.

scottsmithtech · 08-24-2009

I agree and it does work but when you are building hundreds of Windows 7 computers the more you can do via GPO the better.

**Brink** · 08-24-2009

I can understand that.

**BFG** · 10-06-2009

I guess this is just the way things are but here's what I noticed.

Example:

Even though there's a pictures library and the properties says optimize for pictures, it still displays every file from folders that you include in that library.

I was hoping I could add folders to a library like the pictures library and only have pictures appear, but no.

If anyone knows a way to set this up let me know, but I'm thinking there isn't.

**Brink** · 10-06-2009

Hello BFG,

About the only way that I know of is to only have images in the folders that you include in the library instead.