If you are using Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 or if you are following this website regularly, you might be aware of the fact that Microsoft has improved Windows Explorer functionality a lot in these new Windows versions. Microsoft has put options to hide/remove favorites, libraries from Windows Explorer navigation pane in Windows 8/8.1. You can also easily mount ISO and VHD files in Windows 8/8.1 Explorer without using any 3rd party software as mentioned here.
But there are a still few annoyances present in Windows 8/8.1 Explorer such as combined "Devices and drives" group by section, 6 extra folders in Windows Explorer, Details Pane at right instead of bottom, etc.
Apart from the above mentioned annoyances, there are 2 other things which many Windows 8/8.1 users complain about. These are "Up button" and Search box in Windows 8/8.1 Explorer.
When Microsoft removed Up button from Windows Explorer in Windows Vista and Windows 7, many people complained about this move and Microsoft decided to put Up button back in Windows 8/8.1 Explorer. But as they say you can't please everyone. Many Windows 8/8.1 users started complaining about no option given to hide or remove Up button from Windows Explorer.
Regarding search box, in Windows 7 you were able to remove search box from Windows Explorer by simply removing Windows Search component using "Programs and Features" in Control Panel but Windows 8/8.1 Explorer don't allow you to remove search box.
Although Windows 8 and 8.1 don't allow you to remove Up button and Search box from Windows Explorer, we are sharing a free and portable tool which will help you in hiding/removing both these things quickly and easily.
"Windows 8.x Explorer Rebar Tweaker" is a small, portable and free software which can be used to remove up button and search box from Windows 8 and 8.1 Explorer. It also allows you to change the padding between addressbar and search box in Windows Explorer as well as customizing back/forward buttons width.
- Using this little freeware is very easy. You just need to run its EXE file and it'll start running in background. Now you can run "ConfigurationGUI.exe" file to customize options such as:
- Show/hide Up button
- Show/hide Search box
- Change Rebar padding (extra space between addressbar and search box)
- Change navigation buttons (back/forward) width
Apply your changes and close all running Windows Explorer windows. Open
This program stores all settings in an INI file present in the same folder, so you can also modify the INI file to change settings.
There are 2 separate EXE files available of this program for 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) Windows editions.
Interested people can download the program using following link:
