How to disable OneDrive sync status icon in File Explorer on Windows 10

Windows 10 lets you remove the OneDrive status icons from the File Explorer navigation pane, and here's how.

File Explorer without OneDrive status icon
File Explorer without OneDrive status icon

On Windows 10, File Explorer shows an icon in the folders stored in OneDrive to let you know the sync status of the content when using Files On-Demand.

Although it’s a useful feature to quickly see if the files are still syncing, available only online or offline, it’s not a feature for everyone. For this reason, File Explorer includes a new option to disable the OneDrive icon status. You only need to know where to find it.

In this guide, you’ll learn the easy steps to disable the status icon for OneDrive folders on Windows 10.

Disable OneDrive sync status icon in File Explorer

To disable the OneDrive status icon in the navigation pane of File Explorer, use these steps:

  1. Open File Explorer on Windows 10.

  2. Click on the View tab.

  3. Click on the Options button.

    Options on File Explorer

  4. In “Folder Options,” click the View tab.

  5. Under the “Navigation pane” section, clear the “Always show availability status” option.

    Always show availability status option

  6. Click the Apply button.

  7. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the left navigation page will no longer show the OneDrive status icon on folders. However, you’ll continue to see availability status icons inside the OneDrive folder.

Navigation pane with OneDrive status (left), Navigation pane without OneDrive status (right)
Navigation pane with OneDrive status (left), Navigation pane without OneDrive status (right)
About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].