Edit: ***See note at the bottom if you lose the option to right click > create new folder in Explorer. ~same/similar as @Itzisaacog said, in a "one and done" registry file form that I use. Anyone know if it's better to remove them like my reg file vs "hide" them like the one Itzisaacog linked? EDIT: Itzisaacog's version removes the folders from the "UserName" folder, mine removes them from Explorer navigation area. Cool, I like both! 1. Copy/paste into a text file and name it "WhatEverYouLike.reg". 2. Double click, or right click > merge, then reboot. Explorer Cleanup.reg Code: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\DelegateFolders\{F5FB2C77-0E2F-4A16-A381-3E560C68BC83}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\DelegateFolders\{F5FB2C77-0E2F-4A16-A381-3E560C68BC83}] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{088e3905-0323-4b02-9826-5d99428e115f}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{24ad3ad4-a569-4530-98e1-ab02f9417aa8}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3dfdf296-dbec-4fb4-81d1-6a3438bcf4de}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{d3162b92-9365-467a-956b-92703aca08af}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{f86fa3ab-70d2-4fc7-9c99-fcbf05467f3a}] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{088e3905-0323-4b02-9826-5d99428e115f}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{24ad3ad4-a569-4530-98e1-ab02f9417aa8}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3dfdf296-dbec-4fb4-81d1-6a3438bcf4de}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{d3162b92-9365-467a-956b-92703aca08af}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{f86fa3ab-70d2-4fc7-9c99-fcbf05467f3a}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{f874310e-b6b7-47dc-bc84-b9e6b38f5903}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{e88865ea-0e1c-4e20-9aa6-edcd0212c87c}] [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}] "System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree"=dword:00000000 Edit some more: I did a customized version of Itzisaacog's for myself. Removed/prevented hiding a few of them that I use (documents, pictures, videos) and added "; hide Saved Games, Contacts, Favorites, and Searches Folders" that I never use. Tweak to your liking and knock yourself out! Maybe "hiding" them here also removes them from Explorer? Not sure. Do this first, then do the Explorer one if needed? Don't hide: "ThisPCPolicy"=- Do hide: "ThisPCPolicy"="Hide" User Folders Cleanup.reg Code: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 ; delete keys for 3D Objects [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A}] ; hide Documents Folder from Computer [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{f42ee2d3-909f-4907-8871-4c22fc0bf756}\PropertyBag] "ThisPCPolicy"=- ; hide Pictures Folder [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{0ddd015d-b06c-45d5-8c4c-f59713854639}\PropertyBag] "ThisPCPolicy"=- ; hide Videos Folder [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{35286a68-3c57-41a1-bbb1-0eae73d76c95}\PropertyBag] "ThisPCPolicy"=- ; hide Downloads Folder [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{7d83ee9b-2244-4e70-b1f5-5393042af1e4}\PropertyBag] "ThisPCPolicy"="Hide" ; hide Music Folder [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{a0c69a99-21c8-4671-8703-7934162fcf1d}\PropertyBag] "ThisPCPolicy"="Hide" ; hide Desktop Folder [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}\PropertyBag] "ThisPCPolicy"="Hide" ; hide Saved Games Folder [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{4C5C32FF-BB9D-43b0-B5B4-2D72E54EAAA4}\PropertyBag] "ThisPCPolicy"="Hide" ; hide Searches Folder [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{7d1d3a04-debb-4115-95cf-2f29da2920da}\PropertyBag] "ThisPCPolicy"="Hide" ; hide Contacts Folder [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{56784854-C6CB-462B-8169-88E350ACB882}\PropertyBag] "ThisPCPolicy"="Hide" ; hide Favorites Folder [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{1777F761-68AD-4D8A-87BD-30B759FA33DD}\PropertyBag] "ThisPCPolicy"="Hide" ***Note: I lost the option to create a new folder via right click menu. I seriously doubt it has to do with these tweaks, but I noticed it around the same time, so just in case. This was the registry setting I needed to fix it. That default: "@=Folder" got set to "@=pdf_auto_file" somehow. Thought I'd include this info for good measure. Code: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\folder] @="Folder" Result:
I really like both registry methods. Yours completely deletes the namespace keys, so the folders under “This PC” are fully removed. The one I attached simply hides the folders instead. Both are very good options.
Same here, because my Explorer area was clean, but I still had some annoying folders "Downloads, and Saved Games" cluttering up my User folders that just return if you delete them. So a combo of both is really nice. I/we/they just have to pay attention to the registry entries if there are any folders they want to keep and tweak accordingly. I didn't want to hide the Videos folder because that is where I send them when recording videos via AMD Adrenaline software, and a lot of games put saves in Documents. EDIT: Just FYI, a Desktop or Documents folder still appears now and then in Explorer temporarily, but it goes away again when you're done doing whatever (navigating to a "save here" or whatever) triggers it.