How to reset File Explorer Navigation Pane width to default in Windows 10

If you changed the width of the navigation pane in File Explorer on Windows 10 and now want to change it back to the default width, you can reset the width of the navigation pane of the default explorer to Registry Editor help.

The File Explorer navigation pane displays quick access, this PC (including your drives), library folders (such as music, videos, pictures, etc.) and network drives. By default, Windows displays a defined width, which is not changed even if a folder or partition name is hidden because of this. If you changed the width previously and now want to restore the default width, there are two ways to do this.

First, you can click on the edge of the navigation panel and drag it left or right. However, this tip works if you remember the width carefully. The second way is to use the Registry Editor to delete a value citing the current width of the navigation pane.

Restore the default width of the Explorer navigation pane

To reset the width of the default File Explorer navigation pane, follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run prompt.
2. Type regedit and press the Enter button.
3. Click the YES button in the UAC prompt.
4. Go to GlobalSettings Sizer path in the Registry Editor.
5. Delete the PageSpaceControlSizer binary value.
6. Restart the file explorer.

Before continuing, you must back up the registry files and first create a system restore point.

Now press the Win + R buttons together, type regedit and press the Enter button. It will show you the UAC prompt where you need to click the YES button.

Then your PC should open the Registry Editor. Then go to the following path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerModulesGlobalSettingsSizer

Here you can find a REG_BINARY value called PageSpaceControlSizer.

You must delete this value. To do this, right click on it and select the Remove option.

Then click on the Yes to confirm the deletion.

Now you need to restart Windows Explorer. You should now see the default width of the navigation panel.

For your information, the PageSpaceControlSizer The value is created automatically each time you open File Explorer, and the data changes when users change the width manually.

That’s all!