How does OneDrive pin itself in the Home/Gallery area of Windows explorer?

Hello @sysadmin ,

I have been testing this scenario, trying various registry configurations (such as modifying SortOrderIndex and System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree) alongside the Windows Cloud Files API (StorageProviderSyncRootManager).

Based on testing on recent Windows 11 builds (22H2 and later), it does not seem possible to place a custom cloud sync engine at the absolute top of the Navigation Pane alongside Home, Gallery, or OneDrive.

This is what I observed during testing:

The modern File Explorer appears to organize the Navigation Pane into strict, system-managed sections:

1. System items (Home, Gallery) and OneDrive are prioritized at the very top.
2. Pinned folders (Quick access items like Desktop, Downloads) follow below them.
3. Third-party cloud sync engines (registered via the Cloud Files API) are grouped in a dedicated section just below the pinned items.

When adjusting the SortOrderIndex registry value, I found that lowering the index (e.g., to 40 or 10) only changes the sorting order within the "Cloud Providers" group. It does not elevate the custom namespace extension above the Pinned folders tier.

So, achieving the exact same placement as OneDrive or bypassing the Pinned folders doesn't seem achievable for third-party engines under the current Windows 11 File Explorer design constraints.

Hope this clarifies the behavior you are seeing. If you found my response informative, I would greatly appreciate it if you could provide feedback by following this guide.

Thank you.