Restoring the Quick Launch Menu (and Windows Explorer) for Windows 7 and 10

(this is an updated repost of an article I have on my deprecated http://www.essjae.com website)

One thing I really had grown accustomed to is the Quick Launch menu and easily opening multiple Windows Explorer windows across my 2 and 3 monitor setups and seeing the Drives view.

Both of these have been noticeably missing since Win 7.

Step 1: Get back the Quick Launch menu

• Right-click the Taskbar, select Toolbars–>New Toolbar.
• In Folder text box copy and paste the following:     %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch
• Right-click the Taskbar, uncheck Lock the Taskbar, and right-click on the new Quick Launch toolbar. Uncheck Show Text and Show Title, click View–>Small Icons
• Drag the toolbar divider all the way to the left of the taskbar to position it next to the Windows Orb, adjust the spacing on the taskbar as necessary
• End result:   (minus the Explorer icon)

Step 2:

• Add Windows Explorer in Win 7
  •  Click the Orb, then All Programs–>Accessories
  • Right-click to select and drag Windows Explorer () to the Quick Launch toolbar, then release
  • Select Copy Here from the pop-up menu
  • Right-click the Windows Explorer icon (), then click Properties
• In Windows 10
  •  select and copy %SystemRoot%\
  • Click the Win icon or press the Win key and then paste %SystemRoot%\
  • Press Enter
  • Find explorer.exe, right-click and drag it to the Quick Launch bar
  • Right-click the Windows Explorer icon (), then click Properties
• Add the following to the end of the command in Target:     /e,
• The command should look like this:  %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,

• Click OK
• Now, when you click on the Windows Explorer icon you’ll see this:

• •