How to Add the D: Drive to File Explorer’s Navigation Pane

When you open File Explorer in Windows, you might notice your D: drive isn’t showing up on the navigation pane (the sidebar on the left). This can make it annoying to access your secondary drive quickly. Luckily, adding the D: drive to the navigation pane is straightforward. Here’s how to do it.

1. Check If D: Is Visible in File Explorer

First, make sure your D: drive is actually connected and recognized by Windows:

• Open File Explorer (Windows Key + E).
• Look for the D: drive under This PC.

If you see it there, you’re good to go. If not, check your cables or contact your IT person.

2. Pin the D: Drive to Quick Access

The fastest way to make the D: drive always available on the navigation pane is to pin it to Quick Access.

Here’s how:

1. In File Explorer, go to This PC.
2. Right-click the D: drive.
3. Click Pin to Quick Access.

Done. Now your D: drive will appear in the Quick Access section at the top of the navigation pane every time you open File Explorer.

Or, if you want a ready-to-use registry file to automate this process, you can download it here (add-d-drive-file-explorer).

3. Add the D: Drive as a Library (Optional)

If you want the D: drive to show up under Libraries instead, you can add it as a library:

1. Right-click Libraries in the navigation pane (if you don’t see Libraries, right-click an empty area in the navigation pane and select Show libraries).
2. Click New > Library.
3. Name your new library (e.g., “D Drive”).
4. Right-click your new library, choose Properties, and click Add.
5. Browse to your D: drive and select it.

This is helpful if you want to treat your D: drive as a location for documents, pictures, or music.

4. Show All Drives in Navigation Pane

Sometimes, Windows hides drives in the navigation pane if they’re empty or if settings are tweaked. To make sure all drives show:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click the View tab, then Options > Change folder and search options.
3. Go to the View tab.
4. Scroll down and uncheck Hide empty drives.
5. Click OK.

5. Advanced: Edit the Registry (Not Usually Needed)

If you want your D: drive to show up like the C: drive (as a standalone item under “This PC”), you can tweak the Windows Registry.
Warning: Editing the registry can mess up your system. Only do this if you’re comfortable with advanced settings.

Steps:

1. Press Windows Key + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DriveIcons
3. Right-click DriveIcons > New > Key. Name it D.
4. Right-click the new D key, create another key inside it called DefaultIcon.
5. Set the value to the icon you want (or leave it default).
6. Restart your PC or File Explorer.

Want to make this even easier? Download the ready-to-use registry file here (add-d-drive-file-explorer).
If you ever want to remove the D: drive from File Explorer’s navigation pane, download this removal file (remove-d-drive-file-explorer) and run it.

Final Thoughts

Adding the D: drive to File Explorer’s navigation pane takes just a few clicks. Pin it to Quick Access for speed, or get fancy with libraries and registry tweaks. Either way, you’ll save yourself time and frustration every time you need to use your D: drive.

If you found this guide helpful, leave a comment or share it with someone else who might need a hand organizing their drives!

Resources:

• Download: Add D: Drive to File Explorer (Registry file)
• Download: Remove D: Drive from File Explorer (Registry file)

Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!