If you use a Windows 11 PC, you might notice some drives (like USB sticks or extra hard drives) show up in File Explorer even when they don’t have any files on them. These are called empty drives.

By default, Windows hides these empty drives to keep things neat and easy to use. But sometimes you might want to see them, or hide them again. This guide will show you simple steps to do that.

What Are Empty Drives?

Empty drives are storage devices connected to your computer that don’t have any files or folders saved on them yet. For example, a new USB stick or an empty SD card.

Windows hides these drives by default so your File Explorer isn’t crowded with drives you’re not using.

Why Show or Hide Empty Drives?

• Hide empty drives: If you have many storage devices connected but some are empty, hiding them makes File Explorer cleaner and easier to use.
• Show empty drives: If you often add or remove files and want to quickly spot which drives are empty, showing them helps you find those drives faster.

How to Show or Hide Empty Drives in Windows 11

Follow these easy steps to change the setting:

1. Open Windows Settings:
   • Click the Start button and then select Settings.
   • Or press Windows key + I on your keyboard.
2. Go to System:
   

   In the Settings window, click System on the left side.
   

   

3. Open “For developers”:
   

   On the right side, find and click the For developers option.
   

   Click “For developers” in System settings

4. Find File Explorer Settings:
   

   Scroll until you see the File Explorer section and click it to open.

5. Turn On or Off “Show empty drives”:
   

   Toggle the switch next to Show empty drives:

   
   
   
   
   • Switch it On to see empty drives in File Explorer.
   
   
   • Switch it Off to hide empty drives.
   
   
   
   

   
   

   

   
   
6. Close Settings when you’re done.

Alternative Method: Using File Explorer Options

You can also show or hide empty drives from File Explorer Options:

1. Open File Explorer (press Windows key + E).
2. Click the three dots … at the top and select Options.
3. In the Folder Options window, click the View tab.
4. Find Hide empty drives in the list:
   • Check the box to hide empty drives.
   • Uncheck it to show empty drives.
5. 
   

   

   
   
   
6. Click OK to save changes.

Summary

• Empty drives are storage devices with no files, and Windows 11 hides them by default.
• You can choose to show or hide these drives to keep File Explorer neat or to quickly find empty drives.
• Use the Settings app or File Explorer Options to change this easily.

Now you know how to control whether empty drives appear in Windows 11 File Explorer!