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Enabling Quick Launch in Windows 7 to Bring Back Show Desktop Shortcut

Posted By Raymond In Category: Computer

Feb
17
2010

I have to be honest that I am a very traditional guy. If I am used to something that never breaks, I will continue using it until I get so familiar with it that I feel tough to make a change. One example is I still prefer to use my old laptop because it has Windows XP rather than my new and faster Acer laptop or Dell All-In-One desktop because they came with Windows 7 pre-installed. I know as a technology guy I have to keep up with upgrades so I slowly started to use Windows 7.

If you are familiar with Windows Vista, switching to 7 isn’t going to be much of a problem unlike from XP to 7 because so many things has changed! One of the changes which I am not used to is the missing Quick Launch in Windows 7. I normally keep my Quick Launch toolbar in XP very small with only 3 icons and they are Internet Explorer, Firefox and a Show Desktop icon to conveniently minimize all opened windows and programs.

Normally you can easily enable the Quick Launch by right clicking the taskbar, go to Toolbars and select Quick Launch but it’s not there in Windows 7. By default, Internet Explorer is already pinned and I thought I can just pin Firefox and Show Desktop icon and it’ll be done but somehow I just couldn’t pin Show Desktop. After messing around for an hour, I finally managed to pin IE, Firefox and Show Desktop icon together to taskbar but there is a problem where the pinned icons doesn’t look and behave the same as Quick Launch icons when either one of the pinned program is running.
Weird Quick Launch in Windows 7

After a lot of testing, I found out that there is no way to make the pinned programs to work like the Quick Launch icons. Then I figured I had to somehow create a Quick Launch toolbar in Windows 7 and I managed to get it right.


1. First, I unpin all default programs from taskbar.

2. Unlock the taskbar by right clicking the taskbar and select “Lock the taskbar“.

3. Right click Taskbar, go to Toolbars and select New toolbar…

4. Simultaneously press Alt+D and type the following path below and then hit enter.

%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\

5. Use the mouse to select the Quick Launch folder shown in the window and click the “Select Folder” button.

6. You should see Quick Launch word appear on the right side of the taskbar. Right click on it, go to View and select Large Icons. Then again right click on the Quick Launch word and uncheck both “Show Text” and “Show title” by clicking on them.
disable show text and show title

7. Now move your mouse cursor to the dotted lines that is next to the start menu button until it shows the two arrows pointing left and right.
Drag Quick Launch
Left click and hold, drag it right to the end past the Quick Launch toolbar and once you see that the Quick Launch icons ended up at the left corner of the taskbar, drag the dotted lines back to the left.

8. Right click on the taskbar and select “Lock the taskbar“.

Now I have a quick launch toolbar that works exactly the same as in Windows XP.
Windows 7 Quick Launch
If you didn’t know, you can use a shortcut key WIN+D to show desktop and CTRL+N to open new browser window for Firefox/IE. It clearly looks like Microsoft is trying to remove the quick launch toolbar in Windows 7 but luckily it is still possible to bring it back.


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    • whatever

      You do know that the slice at the far right of the taskbar does just that (show the desktop), right ?

    • Val

      Hey Raymond, another tip (if you didn’t already know)- if you want the taskbar to look exactly like Vista, along with making the text show up, you can also make the icons smaller, so the taskbar is the same size as it used to be, and the time and date in 7 changes back to just the time in XP and Vista.

    • http://www.technoskillonline.com sudharsan @ tehcnoskillonline

      very nice article

    • roy raay

      cheers mate!

    • billy13

      Thanks Ray!

    • Gunny

      whatever is right, I was about to post that until I saw his post, but Windows 7 comes with a quick launch unless you change it, just pin programs to the task bar, if you don’t like big icons, right click, properties, and check the “Use Small Icons” box. They deliberatly designed Win 7 this way, so there was no need for quick launch, as it was quick launch. If you don’t like it in that look, change it back to look like a vista taskbar.

    • Sujay

      You are right whatever

    • angel

      la verdad raymond esperaba mucho mas…., muy pobres tus articulos, años anteriores me sorprendia , vamos a pique……….., energy raymand , energy……

    • http://jobberies.com Nagobonar

      yes…next to the clock…click it will bring you to the desktop

    • AlienForce1

      Raymond did you forget that `Show Desktop` is stil available in Win7 ? (it`s at right of the clock)

    • http://www.raymond.cc/ Raymond

      I appreciate all your comments but all I wanted was something that I had in XP which is a simple quick launch bar with 3 icons, IE, FF and show desktop. I re-quote what I’ve written.

      “I normally keep my Quick Launch toolbar in XP very small with only 3 icons and they are Internet Explorer, Firefox and a Show Desktop icon to conveniently minimize all opened windows and programs.”

    • Cornjaco

      Thanks, Ray, really useful. I also migrated from XP to W7 (hopping over Vista) and am still stumbling my way around.
      The pinning of programs and quick launch are a problem indeed. I pinned Word, but now I cannot see at a glance whether it is running, and I even experienced a crash when I shutdown the PC with some programs still open.

    • gt

      IMHO the “show desktop” function in the right-bottom corner near the clock, default in windows 7, is better and faster than having it on the taskbar.

      You can show the desktop even with your eyes closed!

      That’s one of the very few things I like on 7 (like Raymond I’ve switched from XP to 7)

      PS:
      @ Raymond: try to get used to the new Taskbar instead of “downgrade” it, IMHO is much useful and faster than XP!¹

      ¹even if mozilla firefox 3.6 doesn’t support it and 3.7 has partial and buggy support

    • http://amirbagheri.com amir

      Wow, I really need that… Thanks Ray.

    • minnetonka

      Thank you, Raymond–This is one of several of your articles I am stashing for the inevitable day I have to install or buy a new computer with W7. [If I am used to something that never breaks, I will continue using it until I get so familiar with it that I feel tough to make a change. ] You expressed my sentiments exactly!

    • actionjksn

      I don’t know why you would want to ruin the much improved super bar. You’re just downgrading a much improved and advanced operating system. I used and loved XP for years, but enough is enough. I Pin a lot of stuff to the task bar. I even brought back 3d flip. and have it set to auto hide task bar.

    • AtOdds

      Like minnetonka, I am saving up articles for the day I am forced to move from XP to Win7. Most of my issues with the new OS have to do with the task bar. My (XP) task bar is set to auto-hide. I look at it rarely because I use a launcher to open applications and files. And, I want it out of my way and taking up 0 amount of space.

      Just because Microsoft comes out with a new OS, doesn’t mean it will work better for the individual. I have a stand-alone system. Nobody touches my (darling) computer but me. I’ve had it plenty long enough to have it set up EXACTLY the way I like it. I have no desire to start over again. So – keep up the good work with similar articles. I, for one, appreciate them.

    • http://www.raymond.cc/ Raymond

      Well it’s more of a personal preference isn’t it?

    • Aakash Patel

      Thanks Raymond. i was finding this from 4 months but i did’t get it.

      thanks for sharing this tirk with us.

      Thanks You so much
      Aakash

    • Decent60

      I’ve personally switched over to Windows 7, not because Microsux made me, but rather, because Windows XP can’t fully utilize the 64-bit architecture of my processor. I have installed Windows XP 64-bit, but with little support from any company (because it was made too late in the game), it wasn’t really worth it. I love my Windows XP and I keep it as a dual boot OS system.
      Like Raymond, I love the quicklaunch and I’ve recreated it (sorta) with the Windows 7 pin system. slightly more bulky than normal but it does work to pretty good for it.
      Another reason I changed was the security issues. I know there was a severe leak in Windows 7 but it’s nothing like what Windows XP had. XP is still my favorite but Windows 7 is my closest second. I didn’t even bother with Vista due to the fact that when SP1 came out for it, I still made it Blue Screen just doing my normal stuff on it.
      Thank you for the article Raymond, I’ll probably integrate this into my current Windows 7 tweaks.

    • Ray

      Nice find Ray!! I’ve been using Windows 7 since it was out (I’m a Computer Science student), I still can’t get use to the show desktop at the bottom right of the screen.

    • drazen mestrovic

      Why bother with all explanations after all,Raymond?
      Wouldnn’t be easier to admit that maybe you didn’t noticed that little slice next to the clock and you’ll still be one of the greatest soft technicians on the net.

    • tado

      Back in November, after I first installed Windows 7 on my homemade box, Quick Launch was immediately the first thing I missed in the new OS.

      Frankly I can’t live without QL. From the days of ME and XP I routinely have up to 50 or so shortcuts to programs which I need to be quickly accessable at all times. Yet I want to keep all shortcuts out of the visible desktop because I prefer an uncluttered view of a graphic wallpaper which I usually design myself. So I divide such shortcuts between Quick Launch (those having to do with creativity) and Desktop (navigation and everything else).

      Along with Quick Launch, I minimize Desktop in my Auto-Hide Taskbar located at the top (not bottom) of the display.

      Fortunately, it didn’t take me long to figure out how to enable Quick Launch Toolbar in Windows 7. Needless to say, being able to pin most frequently used shortcuts is an added convenience.

    • levon

      wow thanks Ray, was wondering myself.

    • http://www.frontiernet.net/~noprob_01 noprob

      Thank You Raymond for this information.

    • Paul

      TROJAN WARNING! Just a heads up. Clicking on the “Repair Your XP Problems” on this page takes you to…

      http:://www.pctools.com/registry-mechanic/download/

      and is reported as virus HEUR:Trojan.Script.Iframer

      I accidently clicked it.

    • Antonio

      Raymond there is already a show desktop button on the far right side of the task bar.

    • Tissy

      Nice Ray, I personally am holding off until Windows 8. Hopefully, they’ll bring something “new” to the table. Filesystem, registry, indexing, not just eye candy and bloat. Hey, a man can dream can’t he!?

    • http://- Amri

      hi bro, please help me!!!
      i don’t understand about the original file and patched file
      you say original file use .bak or .old extension, but i try to do it by rename and add .bak extension (sample.exe.bak) and i try to compare it by using DuP 2 but no patching created.

      can you tell me how to make .bak or .old ext in the original file….

      please send your answer to my e-mail… thanks

    • Oddbrother

      Although this tip is useful, is there a way to get rid of the 7 version’s “Show Desktop” button?

    • Skidz

      Thanks Raymond,
      though i have to say after using vista and 7 i went back to XP to as i found both 7 and vista to be really awful.

    • http://www.maris.lv Maris

      of course Raymond and we all noticed little slice next to the clock, but moving mouse pointer from Start button on the far left to hard to see and point LITTLE slice on the far right is too much hastle.

      I have another problem, my new created Show Desktop button lost after restarting. What I did wrong?

    • Rita

      I have just migrated from Windows 2000 to Windows 7. What a shock to find so many unwanted changes. Now I am using much time looking for ways to fix it like I want it. Thank you for this Quick Launch tutorial. Much appreciated!

    • Steven

      hey Raymond,

      thanks alot for this tutorial, but as of lately my quick launch keep disappearing after i restart comp. And is there anyway to disable the library system and change it back to how the past OS works?

      Thank you very much.

    • Nathan

      Can someone please make an autoit script for this one?

    • Jim

      I tried to follow your instructions but went wrong somewhere. Now I’ve got the slice thingie beside the clock but not beside the start button which is where I wanted it. Is there any way I can get rid of the slice? I tried getting a new profile but because of the %userprofile% command, it’s there forever more :(

    • Ahmad

      I found your blog a very nice one. Each article has a meaningful use, even when I receive your articles on my email I keep them, cause I know that I will use your hints one day. I’m writting now to you to really say thank you very much for all the efforts you are doning.

    • andre

      great stuff! thanks heaps i love the quicklaunch icons the way it is in XP and this does the trick. FANTASTIC!!!!

    • adeeps

      thanks,,,,,,Thanks Raymond for ur share

    • James

      Raymond, that was excellent. Thanks.

    • jay

      this was so very very helpful. thanks ray!

    • chris

      I was also wondering how to get back the show desktop icon…thanks a million

    • Microsdfot MVP

      nah yg ini baru berhasil,tak tahunya td masih ke “lock” taskbarnya, makannya gak bisa digesesr dan di hide text nya…

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