How to Hide a Drive in Windows 11

Hiding a drive in Windows 11 can be useful for a variety of reasons, such as keeping sensitive data out of sight or simply tidying up the appearance of your File Explorer. Fortunately, Windows 11 offers several methods to hide a drive without affecting its contents or functionality. This article will show you three ways to hide drives in Windows 11.

Method 1: Using Disk Management

Disk Management in Windows is a powerful tool that allows users to manage disks, partitions, and volumes effectively. You can also use it to hide drive partitions on Windows.

• Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter.

 

• In the Disk Management window, find the drive you want to hide. Right-click on the drive and select Change Drive Letter and Paths.

 

• In the dialog box that appears, select the drive letter and click Remove. Confirm the action by clicking Yes.

If you want to revert your changes, repeat steps 1 and 2 and then select Add in the pop-up window. You can assign the same letter to the drive, or even a different letter if desired.

Method 2: Using Group Policy Editor

Windows provides a built-in tool called the Local Group Policy Editor. You can use it to hide a drive from your computer.

• Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.

 

• Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.
• Double-click on Hide these specified drives in My Computer.

• Select Enabled and choose the drive(s) you want to hide from the drop-down list.  Click Apply and then OK.

 

If you want to revert your changes, repeat the same steps and set the Hide these specified drives in My Computer policy to Not configured.

Method 3: Using Registry Editor

Another excellent tool for easily configuring system settings in Windows is the Registry Editor. If other methods fail, you can use the Registry Editor to hide a drive.

Caution: Modifying the registry can cause serious issues if not done correctly. Always back up the registry before making changes.

• Press Wind + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

 

• Navigate to following path:

• Right-click on the Explorer key, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and rename it NoDrives.

 

• Double-click on NoDrives and set the value to correspond with the drive letter you want to hide. Choose Decimal for the Base section. For example, to hide drive D, set the value to 8.

 

Here are decimal numbers for reference:

 

• Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

If you want to revert the changes, you can either change the value data to 0 or delete the registry value altogether.

Conclusion

Hiding a drive in Windows 11 is a straightforward process that can be accomplished using various methods. Whether you prefer using built-in tools like Disk Management or advanced options like Group Policy Editor and Registry Editor, you can easily hide drives to suit your needs. Remember to carefully follow each step and back up your data to avoid any unintended consequences.