Libraries Folder - Add or Remove from Navigation Pane

How to Add or Remove "Libraries" Folder from the Navigation Pane in Windows 7​

   Information

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 locations on a hard disk or 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 within the "Music" library.


For more information about Windows 7 Libraries see:

• Windows 7 Libraries: Frequently Asked Questions
• Understanding Windows 7 Libraries - Windows 7 for Developers - The Windows Blog
• Inside Windows 7:Introducing Libraries

This will show you how to add or remove the Libraries folder and all Library folders in the Windows Explorer Navigation Pane in Windows 7.

   Note

When Libraries is removed from the Navigation Pane, the pinned Windows Explorer icon on the taskbar will still open to the Libaries location by default unless you change the default open to target location for the pinned Windows Explorer taskbar icon.

   Tip

The default Libaries folders are located at the hidden locations below.

For all users
C:\Users\Public\Libraries

For current user only
C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries

   Warning

• You can only do this while logged into an administrator account.
• This will affect all user account's on the computer.

EXAMPLE: Libraries in Navigation Pane
NOTE: This is the Libraries group added (default) (left screenshot below) and removed (right screenshot below) from the Navigation Pane.



Here's How: 1. Open the Start Menu and type regedit.exe in the search line, then press enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

3. In Regedit, go to the location below: (See screenshot below step 4)

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}\ShellFolder

4. In the left pane of regedit, right click on the ShellFolder key and click on Permissions. (See screenshot below)
5. At the top, select the Administrators group. At the bottom, check the Allow box to the right of Full Control and click on OK. (See screenshot below)
6. In the right pane of regedit, right click on Attributes and click on Modify. (See screenshot below)
7. To Add All Libraries Back to the Navigation Pane
NOTE: This is the default setting. A) Type in b080010d and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
B) Go to step 9.
8. To Remove All Libraries from the Navigation Pane A) Type in b090010d and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
9. If you have 64-bit Windows 7 Installed

   Note

To also add or remove Libraries from the "Open" and "Save as" type windows as well in 64-bit Windows 7, you will also need to do this step.

If you have a 32-bit Windows 7 installed, then skip this step since doing steps 1 to 7/8 will add or remove Libraries from the "Open" and "Save as" type windows as well.

A) In Regedit, go to the location below:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}\ShellFolder

B) Repeat steps 4 to 7/8 above.
10. Close regedit.

11. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.

   Tip

If you removed Libraries, then you may also would like to use the tutorial below to have the user folders in the Start Menu to open to your C:\Users\(user-name) location instead of it's library folder location.

How to Make Windows 7 Start Menu User Folder Buttons Open to Users Instead of Libraries Location

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Hide or Show a Library in the Navigation Pane in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Show or Not Show All Folders in the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Turn On or Off Expand to Current Folder in Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Change the Default Libraries Icon in Windows 7
• How to Change a Library Icon in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove the Libraries Desktop Icon in Windows 7
• How to Change the Default New Library Icon in Windows 7
• How to Restore the Default Libraries in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Fix Libraries when Hidden and Empty in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Add or Remove "Favorites" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Homegroup" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Computer" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Network" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Control Panel" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove your "User Folder" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove the "Recycle Bin" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Turn the Navigation Pane On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Turn the Library Pane On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Rename "Libraries" in the Windows 7 Explorer Navigation Pane
• How to Make Windows 7 Start Menu User Folder Buttons Open to Users Instead of Libraries Location
• How to Add or Remove "Include in library" in Windows 7 Context Menu
• How to Arrange Folders Included in a Library in Any Order in Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[Brink]

You're welcome. I hope they do as well. Please let us know how it went.

 

[tangentjohn]

So far as I can tell, all seems well after applying the registry fix. Reading through the list of registry entrys which were going to be modified, I was led to wonder if perhaps my original hack, which removed the libraries, could have been responsible for crippling Windows Media Player 12. I losts ITS library and playlists and could never get it to even allow me to create a new library, let alone playlists.However when I installed WMP 11 for Windows 7 not only could I rebuild a library, but the original playlist reappeared. Now of course I have no way of reinstalling WMP 12 to find out.

 

[Brink]

John,

A repair install would restore WMP 12 without losing everything. I would uninstall WMP 11 first though.

 

[tangentjohn]

Actually I tried that. Wndows went through the entire process rebooted and calmly informed me the repair install had failed and my computer would be restored to its orginal condition. Which it proceeded to do. The whole process took a couple hours and I was back exactly where I started. Next step, and I'm not sure I care that much, is to format and reinstall windows 7. Since this was an upgrade from and OEM Vista install I'm not sure what I'd run in to with licenseing. Actually it was a clean install because I upgraded from Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional, but now all the Vista files are deleted from my computer. Except those I copied for the WinMail Hack. So, WOULD I have a problem?

 

[Brink]

John,

I do not know what type (OEM or retail (full or upgrade)) of Windows 7 your have, but not many people had trouble doing so. Expecially since you say you did a clean install with it before.

You could try a custom install instead to have your current installation placed into a C:\Windows.old folder to make copying file back into your new clean Windows 7 installation easier. Afterwards, you can just delete the Windows.old folder when done with it.

 

[ColMac]

Remove "Libraries" Icon From Desktop

The app worked fine. Thank you!

 

[tangentjohn]

John,

I do not know what type (OEM or retail (full or upgrade)) of Windows 7 your have, but not many people had trouble doing so. Expecially since you say you did a clean install with it before.

You could try a custom install instead to have your current installation placed into a C:\Windows.old folder to make copying file back into your new clean Windows 7 installation easier. Afterwards, you can just delete the Windows.old folder when done with it.

I'm pretty sure I don't have, and can't get, enough free disk space on "C" to accomodate the "windows-old" directory. Right now on a 35 gig drive I have only 9.75 gigs available. I could probably eke out another 3-5 gigs with uninstalls and deletions of update files, but thats all.My Windows 7 upgrade disk is the retail upgrade provided through a student discount. The custon install you described is the one I used originally. I assumed that was why Windows 7 knew which drivers were appropriate for my hardware. I guess one option is to create a disk image of what I have, format and reinstall. Then If I run into trouble I can always put back what I have. Sounds like a huge amount of work just to get back WMP 12. Wish there was an easier way is all.

 

[Pepito]

Hi,
I don't know if you continue to answer to this thread
still, I will ask my question
My wish is not to remove library from panel but just change this default option
I mean on opening explorer,to be able to set another default than Libraries
if it is possible of course
thank you

Edit : Sorry,I just found
shift+right clik on explorer icon,then properties and change the target
to :

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2863-windows-explorer-taskbar-icon-change-open-target.html

 

[Brink]

Hello Pepito,

Not that I am aware of. However, you can drag a item into the Favorites area in the Notification Pane to be able to easily use it as a shortcut there.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Pepito]

Hello Shawn,
I did found the trick and posted it on Edit if this can help
sorry for the disturb

 

[Brink]

Pepito,

Ah I see. I thought that you wanted to change what it opened to in the navigation pane considering the subject of the tutorial that you posted this in.

Yeah, that would we the one to change what the pinned Windows Explorer icon on the taskbar opens to.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2863-windows-explorer-taskbar-icon-change-open-target.html

 

[Fatezoom]

thanx man helpful

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Fatezoom. Thank you.

 

[keks]

Removing the default libraries

First of all, thanks very much. I have already applied a few of your solutions from other tutorials in order to clean up the navigation pane (homegroup, user folder, etc.) and after quite some time spent searching the internet for solutions like these I am really grateful I found your forum, since it seems to be one of the rarer places with answers to more specific questions... ^^

Now I wonder if it is possible only to remove the default library icons (Music, Video, Pictures) permanently - I tried deleting those default libraries but they keep coming back - damn zombies

What is even stanger: on a different computer of mine I could simply delete them and they did not reappear...

I tried several "ideas" like not cleaning the recycle bin or removing the included locations first - but, of course, this was futile.

Maybe someone here has got an idea on how to get rid of the Pictures, Music and Video library

 

[Brink]

Hello Keks, and welcome to Seven Forums.

This may be able to help remove them for you.

How to Hide or Show a Library in the Windows 7 Navigation Pane

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[keks]

Thank you for the very quick reply.

Unfortunately, the option "Shown in navigation pane" in the properties page of all my libraries (not just the default ones as it seems) are "greyed out" (I hope that is correct in English), so that I am not able to "uncheck" this option...

It seems that I cannot use the 1st method from your mentioned tutorial because my context / right click menu does not contain the "Don't show in Navigation Pane" option. But I am quite sure that this option just uses the same mechanism - so it is only a different approach on the surface.

 

[Brink]

Keks,

You might see if clicking on the Restore Defaults button and Apply below for each library may allow you to uncheck "Show in navigation pane" afterwards.

 

[keks]

That did not work. Is it maybe possible to change the setting via the "attrib" command or something similiar?

By the way - I actually feel bad for bothering you with this minor problem...

 

[Brink]

It's no problem Keks.

Go to the hidden Libraries folder location below to see if you may be able to delete the ones you do no want to see from here and not have them return.

C:\Users\(User-Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries

If you wanted to remove all Libraries completely from the navigation pane, then did you try the tutorial on the first page here to do so?

 

[keks]

If you wanted to remove all Libraries completely from the navigation pane, then did you try the tutorial on the first page here to do so?

You are not mistaken - I would like to remove the 3 default libraries but keep my own.


I already thought those damn standard libraries were gone forever but they just reappeared (without reboot). Microsoft must really want users to keep these libraries


I really appreciate your detailed explanations - this way the next person who finds this thread can also easily benefit from the (hopefully soon) achieved solution here...


EDIT: the content of my "desktop.ini" in "C:\Users\David\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries"

[LocalizedFileNames]
Documents.library-ms=@@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-34575
Pictures.library-ms=@@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-34595
Videos.library-ms=@@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-34620
Music.library-ms=@@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-34584

Maybe this is somehow helpful.