Add the Quick Launch Bar to the Taskbar in Windows 7
In yesterday’s article we showed you how to make the Windows 7 taskbar work more like XP or Vista, but we left one thing out: the Quick Launch bar. It’s really not too difficult to add it back, although it will take a few more steps.
You should note that the new Windows 7 taskbar allows you to dock items to the taskbar, combining the features of both the normal taskbar as well as the Quick Launch. For more on this, be sure to read through our coverage of the Windows 7 beta if you haven’t already.
The above screenshot is the Windows 7 taskbar after changing back to XP/Vista mode, and adding the quick launch bar back. Looks just like Vista doesn’t it?
Adding the Quick Launch Bar Back to Windows 7
To add the toolbar back, you’ll want to right-click on an open area of the taskbar, and choose Toolbars \ New Toolbar from the menu. You should probably also unlock the taskbar at this point.
Now’s the slightly tricky part… you’ll want to paste the following path into the location bar:
%appdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch
Make sure that the location bar shows the full path, like the next screenshot, before you choose the “Select Folder” button.
You’ll immediately notice the Quick Launch toolbar on the taskbar, but it’s all the way over on the right, so you’ll want to click on the dotted lines and then drag the toolbar all the way to the left (which is slightly tricky sometimes). Note that you’ll need to right-click and unlock the taskbar before you can move the toolbar.
There we go, it’s over on the left… but now you’ll want to adjust the regular taskbar toolbar to be closer to the left, so use the dotted lines to drag it over as well.
The normal Quick Launch that we’re used to doesn’t have text, so right-click on the dotted lines and uncheck “Show Text” as well as “Show Title” from the menu.
Once you’re sure it’s the way you want it, you should check the “Lock the taskbar” again.
And there you are, the quick launch bar has returned and there’s virtually no way anybody would know this is Windows 7.
Daily Email Updates
You can get our how-to articles in your inbox each day for free. Just enter your name and email below:
haha, I like the last comment “and there’s virtually no way anybody would know this is Windows 7.”, after having read in a previous article that The Geek is a W7 taskbar enthusiast. I’m going to try to get W7 working for me, but it’s not because of ‘new features’ that didn’t ‘need’ changing because they weren’t broken, but to test out the supposedly fixed features which did need changing (e.g. all the Wireless and Networking issues present in Vista).
There is another way to do this.
1. Right-click on the taskbar and choose Toolbars > New Toolbar
2. The new dialogue box will ask you to select a folder to be the new toolbar. You create a new folder (in the Libraries area, or on your C: drive root) and name it Quicklaunch.
3. Change the setting like the Geek says (remove text etc)
4. For any programs you want in the Quicklaunch bar, create shortcuts to those programs in your new Quicklaunch folder (wherever you created it) and they will appear in your Quicklunch toolbar.
Note: You won’t be able to click on this new tool bar until you put at least one shortcut into the folder.
Please let me know if you figure a way to load the classic start menu, put the ie icon on the desktop (not the shortcut), and or make the search box in the start menu of Windows 7 have a drop down box like Run has so you can use search like Run and run your last app.\
OH and if you figure a way to put the up folder back in explorer that would be aces.
Thanks
I’m glad to see the Quick Launch toolbar is gone in Windows 7 by default as far to many programs used it as a dumping ground for their own shortcuts without even asking (Like the first couple versions of iTunes).
With the replacement method of pinned shortcuts, only be the shortcuts I put there will be shown (Assuming it’s like the Start Menu pinning and there is no API for programs to mess with it).
“there’s virtually no way anybody would know this is Windows 7.”…except for the text on the desktop that says “Windows 7″.
@Zach L: True for now but when Windows 7 is released, that text will be removed.
That notice (Version Number plus testing purposes only) is displayed for all Microsoft pre-release software as a reminder that it’s not a finished product and shouldn’t be relied on for daily use.
How can i remove the yahoo nag “this link is not authorized by yahoo”?
THANK YOU!
I’m not a fan of the “dock” style bar at all and was desperately searching for the quick launch capabilities.
@bill: Where are you seeing “this link is not authorized by yahoo”? In the Windows 7 Quick Launch, in pages on this site or somewhere else?
While I don’t mind the docking system, I prefer having a Toolbar on my desktop. Scrolling Vertically. In XP you could drag the Toolbar off your startmenu, in Vista you could drag a folder to the edge of a screen. But in Windows 7, You can’t do either of these anymore, I’m not sure why they disabled this feature. I have about 60 programs on my Desktop Toolbar, I can’t sacrifice that much space to where I switch between what programs are running.
I’ve dual booted XP / Vista / Windows 7 – and the only time I use Vista or Windows 7 is using the boot loader program to choose Windows XP. Why? Because they both ignore the best things that worked so well with XP – simple interface (great classic UI, Windows Explorer) speed and reliability.
Allright, but like Damascus i also found moving quick launch bar somewhere else (my preferable left side) is impossible.
Anyone know how to do this ?
this was the only thing I did not like about windows 7… now that I know it can be added back I am pretty happy over all (so far)
I am glad to have the Quicklaunch back, as I like having it as a dumping ground for all my applications. Where else would all those GOTD apps go!
However the superbar is interesting, it wasn’t immediately obvious to me that you could launch another instance of a running application by right clicking the application on the taskbar and then left clicking the lauch icon that appears above the “pin/unpin this program to the taskbar” option.
The running apps on the taskbar can essentially function as a quick launch for that app.
Certainly an innteresting approach to the user interface in Windows 7. I think I will use the Quick Launch for all my non commonly used apps and pin the rest to the taskbar.
Best of both worlds, great job with the workaround. I may just have to delete the Show desktop shortcut from the QuickLaunch area though its pretty useless now the new Show desktop is in Window 7.
@ boe: From: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/945402
“Important Windows 7 no longer supports the ability to modify the registry to get the special Internet Explorer icon to appear on your desktop. This change was made to ensure Internet Explorer could be removed easily for compliance reasons. The only way to add the Internet Explorer icon to the desktop in Windows 7 is to create a shortcut. To create a shortcut to Internet Explorer on your desktop, follow these steps:”
Mark,
Thanks unfortunately you can’t right click on the ie icon and clear your cache or anything useful in case you are doing speed tests or other verification.
LOL could be a lil easier if we type in the search field “Quick Launch” then it will show a shortcut placed on “all the tasks” of control panel, from there we can get back quick launch
boe you might to try the browser link in the start menu I still have throw the new client on hard drive but if you right click on whatever browser you set as prefered in the start menu you get those options you used to have on the desktop icon.
i am using windows 7 rc 1. small icons won’t show text in the quicklaunch even with text checked. it works for large icons but that takes up too much space.
anyone have a solution? i assume this is a bug.
Thank you so much for this post. I was desperately searching for a way to get it back to Vista style. Why on earth would Microsoft make my quick launch icons (FireFox for example) disappear when I have them open. Extremely annoying. Once again, thank you and yes if you figure out a way to get the classic start menu and real IE desktop icon, please post it up!!
Thanks for explaining how to create the Quick Launch folder and the moving of it to the far left next to the Start Button. Is there any way within Windows 7 to assign a key sequence or combination that will open this structure, e.g. Win-Q?
That would make my day.
I have discovered AutoHotkey and have it doing what I wish but it would be more elegant to have W-7 do it.
Thanks again
Seven Rocks. Else Sucks.
Thank you very much. I was hating 7 for not having QL but now no more complains!!
thanxxxxxxx buddy………….
I tried to accept the “Windows 7 way” for several months, but I finally had to have my quick launch bar back–I’m just so used to being able to single-click over there to launch a new instance of a program (versus the Windows 7 right click and click the program name, which is really not intuitive). Thanks for the detailed instructions!
This also solves the problem of Google Chrome application shortcuts not pinning to the taskbar properly (they all combine under a single Chrome item–apparently this is a known bug the chromium team is working on, but for now quick launch to the rescue).
Now if I could change the control pannel to “classic view”
It’s easy to create the new “quick launch” toolbar in the taskbar, but HOW in the world can you get it to be there the next time you reboot! I’ve tried every suggestion I can find on the internet under different postings and NONE of them work. I quit using Vista and went back to xp because of this, not Win7 has the same stupid problem! MICROSOFT – PLEASE fix it!
Hmm…it seems that the problem Damascus and cammell said – can’t move quick launch bar to somewhere else in the desktop – does not solved yet.
I desperatly want to move my QL bar to the right side of my desktop
Raoul, i have my QL on the right side of my taskbar.. you just drag the dots as you would normally do.
Doesn’t it start on the right side? You cannot drag the QL bar onto the actual desktop though, if that’s what you’re asking. Why would you want it on the desktop anyway? That’s not even a bar anymore.. lol
Just turn on single click file opening then if you want it like that.
@Jeff, why doesn’t it save your settings? I think it’s just you, because my settings remain the same even after i reboot. Also, try lock the taskbar.
There are two reasons why I really liked this page one from it being EXACTLY what I was looking for.
two: It recreates the quicklaunch folder exactly in the same path/place it was in vista.
I couldn’t wait for release so I updated my Vista64 Ultimate to Win7 Ultimate even though I have two copies pre ordered. Not only did it disable quicklaunch, it gave me no way of finding it. I couldn’t remember what the path was. The most logical would have been to disable it, but leave it as an option under toolbars like it was before. There is ZERO reason to take it out of that list since whoever prefered it would need to recreate it anyways. The most annoying part is if you upgrade, you lose all the shortcuts you were using in it with no way if finding it again. Thank you for this. I used to have other toolbars which I also saved under different folders under %appdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ to keep them all in once place.
This is SO Cool!
newscientist2000:
Two words for you: middle click.
Middle clicking any item in the taskbar also starts a new instance.
Thanks, It works
this is all good and all but i need help ! i got the QL set up but i want it exactly like vista had it where a simple winkey +1 etc opens it ! not where winkey +1 etc opens whatever tab i have open (eg Firefox), to further explain this pressing the winkey + a number will do what the alt tab does but without the bar and without the scroll right to left.
on a side note: ive made it look like vista but it still groups buttons like messenger together (want 1 instant on one side and another on the other) maybe registry edit ? any help would be helpful
Thanks for this info, I was trying to get this back. I don’t know why they would remove it!
Some time I’ve spent to find the solution abd bring back my beloved quick launch bar without success…
Great job, thanks this is outstanding!
Awesome, I really hate how they leave alot of good things for dead. pinning stuff to the taskbar is crappy compared to quicklaunch. Now ive got to get all my x86 programming stuff working in windows 7 i hate upgrading sometimes. Java and mingw without dos its gonna complicate things..need a new dos command line type program for windows 7 so old dos/console only stuff can still be used
you’re super genius!!! you helped me solved my big stupid problems
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This was a huge help to me, and very well explained. You are a credit to geeks everywhere.
Just to spice this up a little, create a shortcut to your Quick Launch folder and then add it to your Send To list (see how to access Send To here: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto.....-to-menu/) so that you can right-click > Send To > Quick Launch and have it appear in your quick launch area. A little more work then adding things to quick launch in Vista (but I am glad to have this feature back after a few weeks in Win7).
i got my QL over to the left side, but the god forsaken keyboard icon is infront of the QL icons!! >:[
any idea how to move the keyboard icon to the right side?
Thanks. I’m behind on Win7 because I liked XP and missed by QL. Gr8 site!
Thank you very much for this info. Very glad to have my Quick Launch menu back in Win7. Funny that Windows Help and Support says “The Quick Launch toolbar isn’t included in this version of Windows.”
Thank you very much! Windows 7 is a pain.
to shift the QL to the left. hold down both left and right mouse buttons on the dotted lines.
found this out on trial and error.
I manage to get the QL allright but I cannot move it to the left. Not with any combo of mouse buttons held down. It just compresses the part of the taskbar where all running and pinned programs are. Anybody else got this problem? Tips, tricks, solutions?
Thanks for this. It took me awhile to get it working. I finally realized that I had to click the blue arrow to the right of the box after copying the text there. Before that, I kept just making a link to the documents folder! LOL
I noticed a couple of comments about not being able to move the Quick Launch toolbar to the side of the screen. I didn’t have any trouble with that. I couldn’t drag it, but by right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting “Properties”, you can simply choose the location from the drop-down box next to “Taskbar Location on Screen”
Bengt said:
I manage to get the QL allright but I cannot move it to the left. Not with any
combo of mouse buttons held down. It just compresses the part of the taskbar
where all running and pinned programs are. Anybody else got this problem?
Tips, tricks, solutions?
———————–
First of all, be sure that your taskbar is unlocked.
Then be sure that your grabbing onto that little “handle” that looks like a bar of dots that is on the right of the toolbar that you want to drag. It won’t show up unless your taskbar is unlocked.
The dots are kind of hard to see – at least on the color scheme that I am currently using.
Wow – I can’t believe that I spelled “you’re” the wrong way. I never do that and grimace when I see others misusing common homonyms!
LOL
Thanks for the info on the QL toolbar.
I don’t like the docking.
Ah, at last!
This guide really helped me! I’m used to fix this in XP but in “7″ i needed some help. Just wanted to say i’m so happy now! Everything looks just the way i want it!
Thanks you very much for the tutorial, this kick ass!! I wondered about downgrading back to vista because of annoying chaos taskbar.
Thanks for this!
I’m not adverse to the new docking system, but when you end up with lots of shortcuts intermingled with open instances down on the task bar it feels a bit strange IMO. There are one or two things I’ve kept pinned there on the far left, but most things now sit on my QL on the right hand side where I like them.
Enabling the QL has also revealed a pretty swanky, (albeit Mac-inspired,) “Switch between windows” function. It amazes me that this feature resides in a place that MS never intended the user to find, (even if it is just a glorified alt-tab.)
Also, having apps on the QL allow you to do an “open with” by drag-dropping a file onto the QL icon. This is something I do often and it did not work on the dock, so thankyou for saving me from a massive headache!
thanks! u just make me feel like a moron for not knowin how to do this. but none the less thanks!
Once again, the How To Geek comes through. All the more power to the people who like the docking system, but I’m much happier the old way and now the old way is happily running on my new 7 machines.
Pressing shift when clicking on a taskbar”pinned” icon opens a new instance of the respective program.
Hey friends,
Just forget all….. Actually it’s very easy to fix any program shortcut on taskbar/quick launch bar in Windows7.
How?
On START—->ALL PROGRAMS—> Right click on any program you want to fix on taskbar. You will get an option as “Pin to taskbar”. Click on that & you’re done! And for removing it from the taskbar, again right click on that program icon and “unpin” it.
Isn’t it easiest than any other methods or even any other previous versions of Windows?
Cheers,
KAMAL
Is there any way to make this look new quick launch toolbar look better using big icons??? I don’t like using small icons on the taskbar… And when I use big icons, my new quick launch toolbar keeps the small icons…
Any way to change those icons size?
Oh sorry, I already fixed my problem, yet, I have a new one
When I do this trick of adding the Quick Launch Bar, the space between the opened windows and the system tray is “un-right clickable”, so its really hard to get to the properties menu of the taskbar.
Any way to return it to “right clickable” mode?
Thanks!
Hi,
This is very useful, rather than big bold icons on the tackbar… pooff…
Please post more tips on win7
Rgds
Karthik
INDIA
Thank you so much, I loved so bad the Quick Launch toolbar, now I feel better!! Thanks again!
thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!
I love you so much for this!!!!
since i installed win7 yesterday i’ve been just hating everything about….