Windows 11 includes the Photos app, which is the default experience for viewing and organizing your pictures and videos, no matter where they are located locally on your computer on in the cloud using OneDrive or Apple’s iCloud Photos.

However, by default, the app only includes the Pictures folders. If you keep your media files on an external storage or in the network, you can use the “Folders” settings to add or remove any location to the Photos app. You can even hide the OneDrive and iCloud Photos integrations if you don’t use these services.

This guide will teach you the steps to add and remove folder locations on the Photos app for Windows 11.

  • Add folder location on Photos app
  • Remove folder location on Photos app

Add folder location on Photos app

To add a new folder (or drive) location to the Photos app, use these steps:

  • Open Photos app on Windows 11.
  • Click on Folders.
  • Click the Add a folder button.
  • Choose the folder location to include in the Photos apps.
  • Click the Select Folder button.

Once you complete the steps, the app will show the media files from all the locations.

Open Photos app on Windows 11.

Click on Folders.

Click the Add a folder button.

Choose the folder location to include in the Photos apps.

Click the Select Folder button.

Remove folder location on Photos app

To remove a folder location from the Photos app, use these steps:

  • Open Photos app.
  • Click on Folders.
  • Right-click the location and select the Remove folder option.

After you complete the steps, the folder will continue to be available on your computer, but its content will no longer be available through the Photos app.

Open Photos app.

Right-click the location and select the Remove folder option.

Hide OneDrive or iCloud Photos locations

To remove the OneDrive or iCloud Photos folders from the Photos app on Windows 11, use these steps:

  • Open Photos app.
  • Click the Settings (gear) button on the top-right corner.
  • Under the “Personalization” section, turn off the “Show iCloud Photos toggle” switch.
  • Under the “OneDrive Accounts” section, turn off the “OneDrive” toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, the cloud storage services will no longer show pictures and videos in the Photos app.

Click the Settings (gear) button on the top-right corner.

Under the “Personalization” section, turn off the “Show iCloud Photos toggle” switch.

Under the “OneDrive Accounts” section, turn off the “OneDrive” toggle switch.

If you hide the OneDrive folders, this action will remove the “Pictures” folder if connected to the cloud storage service from the “Folders” settings page.