How-To Geek
Access Frequently Used Items in Windows 7 with Jump Lists
Finding a way to easily access recently used files, folders, and websites could be annoying in previous versions of Windows. Today we take a look at the new Jump List feature in Windows 7 that allows you to quickly access recently used items.
Using Jump lists
To access jump lists Right-click a program icon on the Taskbar, like in this example of Internet Explorer. Notice too that you can pin those items to the Taskbar if you wish.
When you have the jump list open click the first letter of an item to jump between them.
Here is an example of the Jump List feature in the Start Menu. This makes it easy to access recently opened items as well.
Periodically you might want to clear out the jump list history, to do this Right-click on Start and choose Properties.
Now under the Start Menu tab uncheck one or both boxes under Privacy to clear the Taskbar or Start menu item history or both.
This is an awesome new feature in Windows 7 that makes navigating items a lot faster.
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Comments (10)
Programmer by day, geek by night, The Geek, also known as Lowell Heddings, spends all his free time bringing you fresh geekery on a daily basis. You can follow him on Google+ if you'd like.
- Published 08/27/09
I have an issue in which I can no longer pin a folder to my Explorer Jump List. It worked originally- it was pinned, but after a week or two, the folder was suddenly gone. Worst, it doesn’t show under “Frequent” either even though I go to that folder all the time. I have attempted to reset the settings by disabling reenabling the store and display setttings under the taskbar, but it still won’t appear.
How can I manually pin it if it won’t show up anywhere?
The recent/most frequent list is wrong- I don’t think it updates any more for Explorer, while for other programs it seems fine
Jump Lists are one of those Windows 7 features that seem like a small addition, but once you start using them, it’s impossible to get along without them!
my jumplists are either always empty or not activated … just have the pin and close
Hardly awesome when the user cannot control the jumplist herself.
@Bob “Hardly awesome when the user cannot control the jumplist herself.”
Sounds like you have control issues! FYI the lists are meant to do the thinking for you so that you may have more time for email, farmville, or whatever it is that you do. If you want a controlable jumplist, try a toolbar.
I have to totally agree with other posts, ever since I started using jump lists after moving from Vista to Windows 7 I find them extremely handy! They are especially useful in the corporate environment and I use them often to access recent docs.
and how do you download these jump-lists?
To Michael – If you use a register cleaner – check the settings – some register cleaners automatically clean that out Expolorer pin settings
nice article. I’m struggling with several these issues.
I just use stardock. everything i access can be put in the bar, and i can have it so that the icons are floating, and disappear when im not hovering over them….