Clean Explorer

Remove cloud drive clutter from Windows File Explorer sidebar with one click.

Hides OneDrive, Dropbox, and other cloud storage folders from the Explorer sidebar without uninstalling or stopping sync. Everything still works - just cleaner.

Before 😤 Sidebar cluttered with cloud services

After ✨ Clean, distraction-free sidebar

📸 Screenshots coming soon! See docs/SCREENSHOT_GUIDE.md to help contribute.

Features

• ✅ Hide OneDrive from sidebar
• ✅ Hide Dropbox from sidebar
• ✅ One-click operation
• ✅ One-click undo (restore anytime)
• ✅ No admin rights required
• ✅ Doesn't break cloud sync
• ✅ Works on Windows 10/11

Quick Start

📥 Download

Download Latest Release ⬅️ Get the ZIP here

Two editions available:

• 🎒 Portable Edition - Single file, interactive menu, runs from USB/cloud folders (Guide)
• 📦 Standard Edition - Traditional batch + reg files, simple and fast

Or clone the repo:

git clone https://github.com/Kepners/clean-explorer.git

Hide Cloud Drives

Option 1: One-Click Script (Recommended)

1. Extract the downloaded ZIP
2. Double-click Hide-CloudDrives.bat
3. Done! Cloud drives hidden from sidebar

Option 2: Manual Registry Files

• Double-click hide-onedrive.reg to hide OneDrive
• Double-click hide-dropbox.reg to hide Dropbox
• Restart Explorer (or reboot)

Restore Cloud Drives

Option 1: One-Click Restore

1. Double-click Show-CloudDrives.bat
2. Cloud drives restored to sidebar

Option 2: Manual Registry Files

• Double-click show-onedrive.reg to restore OneDrive
• Double-click show-dropbox.reg to restore Dropbox
• Restart Explorer (or reboot)

What This Does

OneDrive

• Removes OneDrive from Explorer sidebar navigation pane
• OneDrive still syncs in background
• Files remain accessible via C:\Users\YourName\OneDrive
• System tray icon still works

Dropbox

• Removes Dropbox from Explorer sidebar
• Dropbox still syncs normally
• Files accessible via Dropbox folder location
• System tray icon unaffected

How It Works

Uses Windows Registry to control which items appear in Explorer's navigation pane:

OneDrive: Modifies CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6} Dropbox: Removes NameSpace entries dynamically

No files deleted. No services stopped. Just cleaner UI.

Requirements

• Windows 10 or Windows 11
• OneDrive/Dropbox installed (obviously)

Safety

• ✅ Only modifies Explorer UI registry keys
• ✅ Doesn't touch sync settings or files
• ✅ Easily reversible
• ✅ No admin required (uses HKEY_CURRENT_USER)

Troubleshooting

Cloud drives still visible after running script?

• Restart Windows Explorer: Ctrl+Shift+Esc → Processes → Windows Explorer → Restart
• Or just reboot

Dropbox comes back after updates?

• Run Hide-CloudDrives.bat again (Dropbox sometimes re-adds itself)

Want to hide other cloud services?

• Open an issue! I can add support for Google Drive, Box, etc.

FAQ

Q: Will this break my cloud sync? A: No. This only hides the sidebar entry. Sync continues normally.

Q: Can I still access my files? A: Yes. Files remain in their original locations. Just navigate normally or use Quick Access.

Q: Does this require admin rights? A: No. Uses current user registry only.

Q: Will updates undo this? A: OneDrive stays hidden. Dropbox might re-add itself after major updates.

Contributing

Found a bug? Want to add support for other cloud providers?

1. Fork the repo
2. Make your changes
3. Submit a PR

License

MIT License - Do whatever you want with this.

Author

Created because cloud drive sidebar clutter is annoying.

If this saved you some frustration, star the repo! ⭐

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Made with frustration and coffee. No affiliation with Microsoft, Dropbox, or any cloud provider.