How to Hide a Drive in Windows 11/10

Want to hide a drive in Windows 11 or 10 so it doesn’t show up in File Explorer? Whether you’re looking to keep sensitive files out of sight or just declutter your system, you can hide a drive without formatting or deleting anything.

In this quick guide, we’ll walk you through three simple ways to do it.

🔧 Method 1: Hide a Drive Using Disk Management

This is the safest and easiest method for most users.

Steps:

1. Right-click Start and select Disk Management.
2. Locate the drive you want to hide (e.g., D: or E:).
3. Right-click the volume and select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
4. Click Remove.
5. Confirm when prompted.

Your drive is now hidden from File Explorer — but don’t worry, your data is still intact. You can bring it back any time.

To Unhide:

Go back to the same menu and click Add to assign a drive letter again.

🛠️ Method 2: Use the Command Prompt (Diskpart)

For advanced users who prefer a command-line approach.

Steps:

1. Press Win + R, type cmd, and hit Enter.
2. Type diskpart and press Enter.
3. Run the following commands one by one: list volume select volume X (replace X with the volume number) remove letter=X (replace X with the drive letter)

The drive will disappear from File Explorer but still exists in your system.

To Unhide:

Use assign letter=X to bring it back.

🧱 Method 3: Hide a Drive via Group Policy (Pro Editions Only)

This hides the drive visually but doesn’t remove the drive letter — ideal for shared PCs.

Steps:

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and hit Enter.
2. Go to: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer
3. Find and double-click “Hide these specified drives in My Computer.”
4. Click Enabled, then pick the drive(s) to hide from the drop-down menu.
5. Click OK and restart your PC.

⚠️ Note: This only works on Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions.

⚠️ Important Notes

• Hiding a drive does not encrypt or protect it — it just makes it invisible in File Explorer.
• Anyone with enough knowledge can still access it using PowerShell, Command Prompt, or Disk Management.
• For real protection, consider encrypting the drive with BitLocker.

✅ Conclusion

Hiding a drive in Windows 11 or 10 is easy, and you’ve got options — from Disk Management to Command Prompt to Group Policy. Whether you’re tidying up your system or keeping certain files out of plain sight, these methods let you stay in control without deleting anything.

Have any questions or tips of your own? Drop a comment below.