All the possible ways to hide or show Ribbon in Explorer in Windows 10

In Windows 10, the File Explorer app comes with the Ribbon which contains most of the available commands distributed across multiple tabs. Microsoft introduced the Ribbon in Windows 8. Windows 10 inherited it. Today, we'll see all the possible ways to hide or show the Ribbon in Explorer in Windows 10.

There are several methods to hide the Ribbon user interface in File Explorer in Windows 10. We will see all of them.

All the possible ways to hide or show Ribbon in Explorer in Windows 10

Hide or show the Ribbon with a hotkey

Windows 10 provides a built-in way to minimize the Ribbon in File Explorer. You can just press the Ctrl + F1 keyboard shortcut in any open Explorer window, and the Ribbon will be minimized:

To show it again, press the Ctrl + F1 shortcut once again.

Hide or show the Ribbon using a special button

Alternatively, you can minimize it with the mouse. Click the small arrow in the top right corner of the Explorer window, to minimize or show the Ribbon. Or you can simply double click on any of the Ribbon tabs to minimize it, and double click again to restore it. In the minimized state, you can use the Ribbon like a menu bar, where it will revert to its minimized state after you click a command.

Hide or show the Ribbon using a Group Policy tweak

Using a Group Policy tweak, you can force Explorer to always start with the Ribbon minimized.

1. Press Win + R keys together on your keyboard. The Run box will appear. Type the following in the Run box and then press Enter:

   gpedit.msc

2. In the left pane of Group Policy Editor, navigate to the following path:

   User Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ File Explorer

   Now locate the setting called Start File Explorer with Ribbon minimized in the right pane and double click it. The policy configuration window will open.
   

3. Set the option to the "Enabled" state and pick the option below it which is suitable for you:
   

Hide or show the Ribbon using a Registry tweak

1. Open Registry Editor (see how).
2. Go to the following key:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

   If this key does not exist, just create it.
   Tip: You can access any desired Registry key with one click.

   

3. Create or modify the 32-bit DWORD value named ExplorerRibbonStartsMinimized.
   Note: Even if you are running 64-bit Windows you must still create a 32-bit DWORD value.
   • To start Explorer with the Ribbon always minimized, set the ExplorerRibbonStartsMinimized value data to 3
   • To start Explorer with the Ribbon always maximized, set it to 4. Delete the ExplorerRibbonStartsMinimized parameter to restore the default behavior.
   • Delete the ExplorerRibbonStartsMinimized parameter to restore the default behavior.

   

Hide or show the Ribbon using Ribbon Disabler

If you don't want the Ribbon at all, you can completely get rid of it and get back the File Explorer look and feel similar to Windows 7 using my freeware, Ribbon Disabler.

My freeware, Ribbon Disabler, allows you to enable and disable the Ribbon UI in File Explorer in Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 with just one click.

You can download the app here:

Download Ribbon Disabler

That's it. Now you can set up the Ribbon behavior according to your personal preferences. The same can be done in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.