How to Show or Hide the Details Pane in Windows 11 File Explorer

Windows 11 includes a modern Details pane in File Explorer. This tool helps you see file information, share items, and check activity without opening the file itself.

Why use the Details pane?

The Details pane saves time. It shows you thumbnails, share status, and file history immediately. You do not need to open a document to see its properties or related emails.

What happens when you are done?

Once enabled, a sidebar appears on the right side of File Explorer whenever you select a file. You can turn it on or off whenever you need more screen space.

Method 1: The Keyboard Shortcut

The fastest way to toggle the pane is to open open File Explorer and press Alt + Shift + P on your keyboard. This will show or hide the pane instantly.

Method 2: The View Menu

If you prefer using your mouse, follow these steps:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click View in the top menu bar.
3. Select Show.
4. Click Details pane to toggle it on or off.

Method 3: Registry Editor (Advanced)

Note: This step requires admin privileges. Editing the registry can be risky if you change the wrong settings. Proceed with caution.

You can control the pane by editing the Windows Registry Editor:

• Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Modules\GlobalSettings\DetailsContainer
• Double-click DetailsContainer and set the value to 01 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 to show the pane.
• Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Modules\GlobalSettings\Sizer
• Double-click DetailsContainerSizer and set the value to 15 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 c0 03 00 00.

To hide the pane using the registry, change DetailsContainer to 02 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 and DetailsContainerSize to 15 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 c0 03 00 00.

If these entries do not exist, right-click in the empty space, select New -> Binary Value, and name them accordingly.

For more information, see Microsoft.com.

Summary

The modern Details pane in Windows 11 builds and File Explorer allows you to view file activity and metadata quickly. You can toggle this feature using the Alt + Shift + P shortcut, the View menu in File Explorer, or by adjusting binary values in the Windows Registry Editor (requires admin privileges).