How to remove Linux entry from File Explorer on Windows 11

Yes, you can get rid of the Linux entry on File Explorer, and in this guide, I'll show you how.

By Mauro Huculak (@Pureinfotech) , Windows How-To Expert and IT Specialist with 21 years of experience.

January 27, 2025

2025-01-28T11:07:49-05:00

To remove the Linux entry from File Explorer, open the Registry Editor, create the {B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6} key, set the System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree DWORD to 0, and restart the computer.

On Windows 11, it’s possible to remove the “Linux” entry from the navigation pane on File Explorer, but it requires you to modify the Registry, and in this guide, I’ll explain how to complete this configuration.

The “Linux” option on the left pane has been designed to give you easy access to the distribution files from the Windows 11 interface without having to launch the WSL console. The only caveat is that after following the steps to uninstall the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), the “Linux” entry may remain in the left pane of the File Explorer. If you prefer removing that “Linux” entry from File Explorer, you must modify the Registry.

In this guide, I’ll outline the steps to remove the leftover Linux entry from File Explorer on Windows 11.

Warning: It’s crucial to note that modifying the Registry can cause serious problems if not used properly. It’s assumed you know what you’re doing and created a full backup of your system before proceeding.

Remove Linux entry from File Explorer

To remove the Linux entry from File Explorer, use these steps:

Open Start on Windows 11.
Search for regedit and click the top result to open the Registry.

Navigate to the following path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID

Right-click the CLSID key, select the New menu, and select the Key option.
Name the key {B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6} and press Enter.
Right-click the newly created key, select the New menu, and select the “DWORD (32-bit) Value” option.
Confirm the System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree for the key and press Enter.
Right-click the newly created key and choose the Modify option.
Confirm the value is set to 0 to remove the Linux entry from File Explorer.
Restart the computer.

Once you complete the steps, the next time you open File Explorer, the Linux entry should no longer be available in the left navigation pane.

File Explorer with and without Linux entry / Image: Mauro Huculak

If you want to revert the changes to re-enable the Linux entry, you can follow the same instructions outlined above, but on step 9, set the value of {B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6} to 1.