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You can try to reorder pinned folders in File Explorer’s Quick access section by turning off Show all folders and dragging folders in the left navigation pane. This is a community-reported workaround, not a feature documented or endorsed by Microsoft, and it does not work consistently on every setup.

Reorder pinned folders in Quick access

  1. Open File Explorer with Windows key + E.

  2. Open the navigation pane settings. Depending on your File Explorer interface, look under View > Show > Navigation pane or Folder Options > View > Navigation pane.

  3. Turn off Show all folders. A Windows 11 Forum tutorial reports that this makes Quick access available as a distinct section in the navigation pane. Windows 11 Forum tutorial

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  4. In the left navigation pane, drag a pinned folder within Quick access. Release it only when the insertion line appears between the folders where you want it. Do not drop directly onto another folder; that may create a shortcut inside that folder rather than change the order.

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  5. To move a folder to the very top, the tutorial says you cannot drop it above the current first folder. Instead, move the folder you want first below the current top folder, then move the former top folder below it.

The tutorial reports that the new order also appears in Quick access on Home. Results vary, so treat this as an experiment rather than a guaranteed setting. Windows 11 Forum tutorial

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What Microsoft officially supports

Microsoft documents how to pin and unpin folders, but its support guidance does not describe a way to manually reorder them. To pin a folder, right-click it and choose Pin to Quick access. To remove one, right-click it and choose Unpin from Quick access. Microsoft Support: File Explorer in Windows

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Starting with Windows 11 version 22H2, Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, and Videos are available by default as pinned folders in Quick access, both on Home and in the navigation pane. If you unpin one and want it back, open Home, select the Up arrow beside the address bar to show the known folders, then pin the folder again. Microsoft Support: File Explorer in Windows

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Quick access folders versus recent and frequent items

Quick access can show recent files and frequent folders as well as pinned folders. If you want to hide the recent and frequent entries, open View > Options and clear the relevant privacy checkboxes. This changes which items are displayed; it is separate from pinning, unpinning, or trying to change the order of pinned folders. Microsoft Support: File Explorer in Windows

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If dragging does not change the order

  • Check that Show all folders is off and that Quick access appears as a distinct section.

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  • Start the drag from the folder in the left navigation pane, not from a folder in the main file list.

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  • Wait for the insertion line to appear between items before releasing the folder. Dropping onto a folder can create a shortcut instead.

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  • Close and reopen File Explorer, then try again. Community reports include folders returning to their original positions, and other users report that the workaround does not work on their systems. Those reports include Windows 11 23H2 Home and Pro, but they are not controlled compatibility tests. Microsoft Q&A discussion Community discussion

  • If it still fails, use pinning and unpinning to curate which folders appear, but note that Microsoft’s documented guidance does not provide a custom ordering control.

This method concerns folders within Quick access only. It does not establish a way to move fixed entries such as Home, Gallery, or OneDrive in the navigation tree.

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