Since you’re already in the Folder Options menu, you might want to tame Quick Access so it doesn’t get cluttered:
To understand why File Explorer might seemingly trap a user within Quick Access, one must first understand the evolution of the Windows interface. In earlier iterations of Windows, the default view upon opening Explorer was "Computer" (or "My Computer"), a view that presented the physical and logical storage structure of the machine. It offered a top-down view of the digital landscape, from the root drives (C:, D:) to the user libraries. However, starting with Windows 10, Microsoft shifted the default behavior to prioritize "Quick Access." This feature, originally known as "Favorites," aggregates frequently visited folders and pinned items into a single dashboard. The intention was to create a "recent files" mentality, streamlining access to active projects. The problem arises when the "This PC" root is no longer an option, or when the interface erroneously displays only the Quick Access directory, effectively severing the user's connection to the file system's hierarchy. file explorer only showing quick access