Look at this and see if it helps you. Windows File Explorer
How can I get my Windows Explorer Navigation Pane back to normal?
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(105.60000000000001, 44%, 20%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EJF%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Janice Futher
0
Reputation points
When I first got my computer (Windows 11) the Navigation Pane was too busy for me. Working with Copilot for hours, it never really worked out. It just doesn't look right.
Windows for home | Windows 11 | Desktop, Start, and personalization | Other
4 answers
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![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(22.400000000000002, 26%, 12%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EVT%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Vikki-T 11,870 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator2026-10-08T12:55:54.85+00:00 Hi Janice Futher,
Thanks for clarifying. When you open File Explorer, is the Documents folder currently listed under Home/Quick access, or is it missing from the navigation pane entirely?
If possible, please share a screenshot of the current File Explorer navigation pane so we can see what was changed and guide you accurately. Please hide any personal folder names or account information before posting the screenshot. In current versions of Windows 11, the Documents folder is no longer shown under This PC by default. Microsoft moved Documents and the other known folders to Home/Quick access, so this is generally a layout change rather than an issue with your computer.
To keep Documents visible in the left navigation pane:
- Open File Explorer and select Home.
- Click the Up arrow beside the address bar.
- Right-click Documents and select Pin to Quick access.
Documents should then appear in the navigation pane for easy access. However, Windows 11 does not provide a standard File Explorer setting to place it literally back underneath This PC.
You can also refer to Microsoft’s official guidance here: File Explorer in Windows. Thank you so much for your understanding.
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Ferdinand Nanalig 33,405 Reputation points Independent Advisor2026-10-04T19:31:16.9933333+00:00 Hi, let me help you.
May I know what view that you are seeing now in your navigation pane?
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Janice Futher 0 Reputation points
2026-10-04T19:01:04.25+00:00 How can I put Documents under This PC?