How to Make File Explorer Open to OneDrive in Windows 11

Changing Where File Explorer Starts

By default, File Explorer 📁 opens to Home. That screen shows your pinned folders, favorites and recent files. You can tell Explorer to open somewhere else. Doing so also hides the recent files and frequent folders that Home would show at launch.

You can send it to This PC, to OneDrive, or to another location from the list in the options. If you keep most of your documents and photos in OneDrive, opening there saves a few clicks every time. The change only affects where Explorer starts. Your files and folders stay where they are.

Step 1Open File Explorer

These steps make File Explorer 📁 open to OneDrive instead of Home. Start by opening a File Explorer window.

1. Open File Explorer 📁. Any of these ways works:

   • Click the yellow folder icon on your taskbar 🖥️.
   • Press the Windows key + E keys on your keyboard.
   • Type File Explorer 📁 into the Windows search bar 🔍 and click the result. Use this if the taskbar 🖥️ icon is missing.

You should now see a File Explorer 📁 window, probably showing the Home screen.

Step 2Get to Folder Options

Next, open the File Explorer 📁 options window. Windows labels it Folder Options. It holds the file explorer 📁 settings, including the startup location.

2. Click the three horizontal dots (See more) in the toolbar. They are at the top of the File Explorer 📁 window.
3. Select Options from the dropdown menu. A window titled Folder Options should open on the General tab.

If you don’t see the three dots, make the window wider. The toolbar can hide buttons when the window is narrow.

You only need the Open File Explorer 📁 to setting. If you click around by accident, close the window with Cancel and nothing is saved.

Step 3Choose Your Starting Folder

Now choose where File Explorer 📁 should start.

4. Find the Open File Explorer 📁 to dropdown. It is at the top of the General tab.
5. Click the dropdown to open the list. You should see the available startup locations.
6. Select OneDrive. The dropdown now shows OneDrive.

The options you may see are:

• Home: This is the default setting. It shows your recent files and folders you use often.
• This PC: This shows all your computer’s drives (like your C: drive), connected devices, and common folders like Documents and Downloads.
• Mobile device: If you have your phone or tablet plugged into your computer with a USB cable, this option lets File Explorer 📁 open directly to see its files.
• OneDrive: This will open File Explorer 📁 directly to your OneDrive cloud storage files.

If OneDrive isn’t in the list, Windows probably doesn’t see a signed-in OneDrive account. Sign in to OneDrive from the cloud icon in the taskbar 🖥️ notification area 🔔, and make sure Windows 11 is up to date. Then reopen the Folder Options window. If it is still missing, use the Registry Editor method later in this guide.

To undo this change at any time, return to the same dropdown and select Home.

The Mobile device option needs a physical USB connection between the phone or tablet and the computer. If the device is not connected when File Explorer 📁 starts, Explorer might show an error or fall back to another location. Don’t pick this option unless the device is usually plugged in. It may not appear in the list at all on some PCs.

Step 4Save Your Changes

The change takes effect as soon as you save it.

7. Click OK. It is at the bottom of the Folder Options window, and the window closes.

If you click Apply first, the setting is saved but the window stays open. You can then click OK to close it.

Step 5Try It Out!

Now check that the setting worked.

8. Close every open File Explorer 📁 window.
9. Open File Explorer 📁 again. Use the taskbar 🖥️ icon or the keyboard shortcut.

The window should now skip the Home screen and open in your OneDrive folder. If it still opens to Home, reopen the Folder Options window and check that the dropdown still shows OneDrive.

Using the Registry Editor (Advanced Users)

The Registry Editor is the advanced method. The registry is a database that stores Windows settings ⚙️. Use this method if the OneDrive option is missing from the dropdown or you prefer to set the value directly. A wrong edit in the registry can cause problems, so change only the value described here. If you want a safety net, choose File › Export in the Registry Editor first to save a backup.

1. Press Windows key + R. The Run dialog box opens.
2. Type regedit and press Enter. If User Account Control prompts you, click Yes. The Registry Editor opens.
3. Go to this location in the Registry Editor: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
4. Look for a value named LaunchTo in the right-hand pane. If it is there, skip to step 6.
5. Create the value if it doesn't exist. Right-click an empty space in the right pane, select New, then DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it LaunchTo.
6. Double-click the LaunchTo value. An edit window opens with a Value data field.
7. Enter 4 in the Value data field. This opens File Explorer to Mobile Device or OneDrive. Which one opens depends on the order they appear in a specific system setting.
8. Click OK to save the change.
9. Close the Registry Editor and restart File Explorer to apply the change. Signing out and back in also works, and a full restart of the PC is not needed.

To undo this, go back to the same value and delete it, or set the startup location back to Home in the Folder Options window.

Summary

Changing the File Explorer startup location removes a few navigation steps from every session. For most people the Options menu is all you need. It sends Explorer to OneDrive, This PC or Home, and you can switch back at any time. If OneDrive is missing from that list, make sure you are signed in to OneDrive, or use the registry method above.