Go away, 3D Objects folder
Hide the new Windows 10 3D Objects folder until you need it
There was a certain excitement about the new Windows 10 3D Objects folder. The folder miraculously showed up under This PC after a recent upgrade to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (version 1709). Imagine a folder chock full of 3D goodies to explore as procrastination fodder. The excitement was fleeting though. It was a let down to open the 3D Objects folder only to discover its 2D emptiness. Without any real or immediate use for it, the only choice was to hide the folder from view.
If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. — Maya Angelou
The default This PC view lists folders in alphabetical order. As such, the 3D Objects folder is the first folder listed, and in the way, if you have no intention of saving 3D files there. 3D objects — like files with a .3mf extension — used in the new Mixed Reality Viewer and 3D Paint application are stored in the 3D Objects folder by default. A time may come when there is more of a need for storing files there. Until then, let’s hide the Windows 10 3D Objects folder with a registry edit to get it out of the way.
Hiding the 3D Objects folder
Use caution when making edits to the Windows Registry. Before modifying any registry settings, make a Registry backup. Take your time, and avoid leading or trailing spaces if you are copy/pasting text from this document.
Step 1. Launch the Registry Editor (regedit)
In the Windows/Cortana search box, type regedit. In the search results, right-click on regedit Run command and click Run as administrator in the right-click menu.
Step 2. Navigate to the 3D Objects folder key
Copy/paste the following path into Registry Editor, and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{31C0DD25-9439-4F12-BF41-7FF4EDA38722}
Step 3. Modify ThisPCPolicy in PropertyBag
Click PropertyBag under the key in the left-hand pane (see below if PropertyBag is not present). Right-click ThisPCPolicy in the right-hand pane, and click Modify… in the right-click menu.
In the Value data field of the Edit String dialog, delete the word Show and type the word Hide. Click OK.
If the PropertyBag sub-key is NOT present
If the PropertyBag sub-key is not present, you will need to add it in order to hide the Windows 10 3D Objects folder. To do so, right-click on {31C0DD25-9439-4F12-BF41-7FF4EDA38722} in the left-hand pane. In the right-click menu, choose New > Key. Name the sub-key PropertyBag.
Click the PropertyBag sub-key you just added in the left-hand pane to select it. With PropertyBag selected, right-click inside the right-hand pane. In the right-click menu, choose New > String Value.
Name the new value ThisPCPolicy. Right-click on ThisPCPolicy. In the right-click menu, click Modify... In the Value data field of the Edit String dialog, type the word Hide. Click OK.
If you had to add the PropertyBag sub-key, restart your computer for the change to take effect.
Step 4. Launch File Explorer
When you launch File Explorer again, the 3D Objects folder no longer displays.
When and if the time ever comes, unhide the 3D Objects folder by changing the ThisPCPolicy value data from Hide back to Show.
