How to Add or Remove the Windows 11 Gallery Folder

Add or remove folders in File Explorer

Managing your Windows 11 Gallery folders is simple directly within File Explorer. Open File Explorer, click on Gallery in the side menu, then select Collection and Manage collection to add new folders or remove ones you no longer need.

1. Open 📁 File Explorer and click on Gallery in the side menu.
2. Select Collection and then Manage collection in the top menu bar.

1. Click the Add button to pick a folder from your PC. The files will stay in their original location, such as C:\Users\Username\Pictures\NewFolder.

1. Select the folder you want and click Include folder.

To remove a folder later:

1. Go back to Collection and then Manage collection in the 📁 File Explorer command bar.
2. Select the folder you want to remove and click Remove.

Advanced Management: Registry and PowerShell

For more advanced control, you can hide the Windows 11 Gallery folder using the Registry Editor (a tool for modifying system settings). This involves opening the Registry Editor, navigating to a specific location, and creating a new setting called DisableGallery. Setting its value to 1 will effectively hide the Gallery from your File Explorer navigation pane.

To hide the Gallery from the navigation pane, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer. You’ll need to create a new DWORD value and name it DisableGallery. Then, set its value to 1.

Cloud Integration: OneDrive and iCloud

Your Gallery works automatically with OneDrive’s Camera Roll Backup feature. If you use iCloud for Windows, ensure your iCloud Photos folder is included in your collection settings to see those images in the Gallery.

Summary

Managing the Windows 11 Gallery helps keep your digital decluttering efforts on track. Whether you use the simple File Explorer interface or advanced Registry tweaks, you have full control over your media management. The Gallery is just a view; your files stay exactly where you put them.