Special Folders showing up on Desktop in File Explorer?

HighHopes · Jun 19, 2024

When I open any folder in File Explorer located on desktop and then hit the Win Key+Up to go back up to the desktop I'm getting all the special folders like Home, Gallery, Documents, Music, Pictures, This PC, Drives etc.

When I open file explorer and click Desktop from the Navigation pane they are not there.
When I choose Desktop from the drop down menu in the navigation bar they are not there.

When I Restore Classic File Explorer with Ribbon for Current User using this guide here Restore Classic File Explorer with Ribbon in Windows 11 Tutorial

the Special Folders show up if I use the drop down menu in the navigation bar to select Desktop as well.

Brink · Jun 19, 2024

Hello, and welcome.

Your left screenshot show the shell Desktop folder, and you right screenshot shows your "C:\Users\username\Desktop" folder.

If you have "Show all folders" turned on in the navigation pane of File Explorer, then the top "Desktop" item in the navigation pane will open the shell Desktop folder instead.

Turn On or Off Show all folders in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off show all folders in the navigation pane of File Explorer for your account in Windows 11. The navigation pane is the far left pane in File Explorer used to find files, folders, and drives on your PC or network. If you like, you can select to...

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HighHopes · Jun 19, 2024

Brink said:
Hello, and welcome.

Your left screenshot show the shell Desktop folder, and you right screenshot shows your "C:\Users\username\Desktop" folder.

If you have "Show all folders" turned on in the navigation pane of File Explorer, then the top "Desktop" item in the navigation pane will open the shell Desktop folder instead.

Turn On or Off Show all folders in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off show all folders in the navigation pane of File Explorer for your account in Windows 11. The navigation pane is the far left pane in File Explorer used to find files, folders, and drives on your PC or network. If you like, you can select to...

www.elevenforum.com

Thanks for the reply. It's already turned off but those folders still show up.
How about when I open a folder from the actual desktop and then go up. Does that also open the shell desktop?
Is there a way to just get rid of these folders?

Brink · Jun 19, 2024

HighHopes said:
Thanks for the reply. It's already turned off but those folders still show up.
How about when I open a folder from the actual desktop and then go up. Does that also open the shell desktop?
Is there a way to just get rid of these folders?

Clicking on the Up arrow in File Explorer while on the Desktop or a folder opened from the Desktop will eventually open the shell Desktop folder since it's the root location.

You should be able to click on Desktop in the navigation pane or address bar to go back to your user profile Desktop folder though.

HighHopes · Jun 19, 2024

Thank you. Works like you say using Win11 FE. What about when using Win10 FE. The address bar button opens the shell Desktop as well. Can that change?

Brink · Jun 19, 2024

It is indeed the same in Windows 10.

Unfortunately, this cannot be changed since the shell Desktop folder is the root for the Desktop folder path. All we can do is click on the other Desktop option to open its user profile folder location instead of shell folder location.

HighHopes · Jun 19, 2024

Looked into it a little. Is it possible to change shell

esktop to point to where shell:ThisPCDesktopFolder is pointing? ChatGPT seems to think so but the instructions are a little unclear.

Brink · Jun 19, 2024

Not sure about changing the location for the shell:desktop command.

If you mean which folder to have File Explorer open to by default, then you can use an option below to change it.

Change Folder to Open File Explorer to by Default in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to set File Explorer to open to either This PC, Home (Quick access), OneDrive, Downloads, or a custom location by default for your account in Windows 11. File Explorer opens to Home (Quick access) by default in Window 11, but you can change File Explorer to open...

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