How to Add or Remove OneDrive Icon on the Desktop in Windows 11

This article explains how to show or hide the OneDrive icon on the desktop in Windows 11.

The OneDrive app lets you sync files and folders on your computer with Microsoft Cloud. It allows you to access them anywhere on your mobile devices and other computers using the service.

You can automatically back up your essential folders (your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders) on your device with the OneDrive app.

If you frequently access your OneDrive files and want to make it easier, add the OneDrive icon on your desktop. With that, you no longer need to go to File Explorer; you can easily open OneDrive content from your desktop.

Here’s how to add or remove the OneDrive icon on your desktop on Windows 11.

Hide or show the OneDrive icon on your desktop in Windows 11

As mentioned above, you can show the OneDrive icon on your desktop to give you easy access to your content. If the OneDrive icon is already on your desktop and you want to hide it, the steps below show you how.

Here’s how to do that.

First, open the Windows Registry, and navigate to the folder key path below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel

If you don’t see the NewStartPanel folder key, right-click on the HideDesktopIcons key, then create the subkey (NewStartPanel) folders.

Show or hide OneDrive icon on the desktop

Right-click the NewStartPanel folder key’s right pane and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value. Next, type a new key named {018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}.

Double-click the new key item name ({018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}) and make sure the Base option is Decimal, and then update the Value data:

  • To show the icon on the desktop, type: 0
  • To hide the icon on the desktop, type 1

Save your changes and restart your computer.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

This post showed you how to show or hide the OneDrive icon on your desktop in Windows 11. If you find any errors above or have something to add, please use the comments form below.