Disable Known Folders: registry value DisableKnownFolders (DisableKnownFolders)UserHKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\DisableKnownFolders

Policy ID: DisableKnownFolders
Scope: User Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Windows Components › File Explorer

Registry

DisableKnownFolders

REG_DWORDUser

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

Enabled value: 1
Disabled value: 0

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]

; Options (use only one)
; Enabled
"DisableKnownFolders"=dword:00000001
; Disabled
"DisableKnownFolders"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Enabled
reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer" /v "DisableKnownFolders" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Disabled
reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer" /v "DisableKnownFolders" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Enabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'DisableKnownFolders' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Disabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' -Name 'DisableKnownFolders' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null

(list values)

REG_SZUser

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\DisableKnownFolders Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Disable these Known Folders.
Value type: REG_SZ
Add to existing value: true

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\DisableKnownFolders]
"<enter value>"="<enter value>"

CMD

reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\DisableKnownFolders" /v "<enter value>" /t REG_SZ /d "<enter value>" /f

PowerShell

New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\DisableKnownFolders' -Force | Out-Null
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\DisableKnownFolders' -Name '<enter value>' -PropertyType String -Value '<enter value>' -Force | Out-Null