By default, Windows shows drive letters AFTER the drive labels (names) in the This PC / Computer folder. The user can prevent drive letters from being shown using Folder Options, however, there is no option to show them before the drive's name. For many users, having drive letters in front of the drive label can be a more convenient option. Let's see how to show drive letters before drive names in 'This PC'.
Before:
After:
To show drive letters before drive names in This PC, we will apply a very simple Registry tweak. Also we will see other ways to show drive letters for network drives. Here we go.
- Open Registry Editor.
- Go to the following Registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Tip: See how to jump to the desired Registry key with one click.
- Here you must locate the ShowDriveLettersFirst value. If you cannot find it, just create a new 32-bit DWORD value and name it ShowDriveLettersFirst.
- Set the value data of the ShowDriveLettersFirst value according to the following rule:
0 - will show all drive letters AFTER drive labels.
1 - will show network drive letters BEFORE their labels, but show local drive labels AFTER their labels.
2 - will hide all drive letters
4 - will show all drive letters BEFORE drive labels.
So, in most cases ShowDriveLettersFirst = 4 should be suitable for you. See this screenshot:
- Re-open This PC folder.
This trick works in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8 and Windows 7. If it does not work for you, check if you have the ShowDriveLettersFirst value here:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
In Windows 10, the HKEY_CURRENT_USER branch has priority over the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE branch for the current user, however, in previous versions of Windows, this can be different. So, check both Registry keys in case you have some issues.
The same can be done using Winaero Tweaker. Go to Appearance -> Drive Letters:
Use this option to avoid Registry editing.
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“….. For many users, having drive letters in front of the drive label can be a more convenient option.”
Well, I’m one of these; so thank you, Sergey ! :)
“Re-open This PC folder.” FYI :
here, under Win 8.1.1 Pro x64, I tested it in the 2 registry locations (current user & local machine – had to create the DWORD value each time); each time it worked BUT it took effect only after a logout …
Hmm. You are welcome.
Works instantly for me in Windows 8.1 and Windows 10.
Alright, thank you.
String Value = ShowDriveLettersFirst…
I’ve been tweaking the Hkey_Local_Machine registry key to show drive letters first since before Win-XP, on all of my PCs and on all of my client’s PCs.
However, I just got my 1st Win-10 PC and discovered that this trusted tweak no longer worked. Thanx to your article, I discovered that I needed to check for this string-value under HKey_Current_User to see if it’s overriding the Hkey_Local_Machine registry key. Sure enough, it was there too. So I tweaked it & it worked. While troubleshooting this problem on various web sites, they neglected to tell me about that this string value might be under there too.
Thanx Team Winaero.
ShowDriveLettersFirst
1 – sort letter, with letter last
3 – sort name, without letter
4 – sort letter, with letter first
I THINK with #5, windows get triggerd to show the boot drive in explorer
5 – sort letter, with letter first
6 – sort name, without letter
7 – sort name, without letter
8 – sort letter, with letter last
9 – sort letter, with letter last
10 – sort letter, with letter last
11 – sort ?special drives top, with letter last
12 – sort name, without letter
Works very well with the latest version of Windows 10 Pro. Thanks a bunch.
Thanks for that. I think anyone who started out with DOS would want the letter first.