Windows 7: Windows Explorer Taskbar Icon - Change Open To Target

   Information

This will show you how to change the Windows 7 pinned Windows Explorer taskbar icon from the default Open To the Libraries window target to Open To the Computer window target or other possible locations that are available to choose from instead when you click on the Windows Explorer icon on the taskbar.

   Note

Special thanks to Chappy (aka: Dave) for pointing this out to me, and to Limneos for the additional locations.

   Warning

By design in Windows, these shortcuts will open a new window in a new process (explorer.exe) each time you use the shortcut. When you close the opened window from the shortcut, the extra explorer.exe process will close with it as well a few moments afterwards.

1. Right click on the pinned Windows Explorer taskbar icon, then right click on Windows Explorer in the Jump List and click on Properties. (see screenshot below)

2. In the Shortcut tab, make sure that the field box to the right of Start in is empty.

3. In the Shortcut tab and to the right of Target, type or copy the path (code) for the location below that you want the Windows Explorer icon to open to instead, then click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You can do this for any item that you know it's {CLSID} registry entry for. You can also specify a specific folder e.g. :
%windir%\explorer.exe /n, /e, /select, C:\somefolder

   Note

Using the Explorer.exe Command Line Syntax/:


%windir%\explorer.exe [/n][/e][,/root],X,[[/Select],Y]

• X - Secifies the object, and optionally with sub-object Y.
• /e - Uses Windows Explorer view. Shows the left Windows Explorer tree view in the navigation pane together with the right pane in list view.
• /n - Opens a new window in a new process for each item selected, even if the new window duplicates a window that is already open.
• /root - Will have Explorer.exe explore the root object X and objects belonging to X. On the other hand, when the /root switch is not present, Explorer.exe explores the object X, its children, and other Explorer objects as well.
• /Select - Puts the focus on a file or folder. The parent folder is opened and the specified object is selected.

For example:

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /N,/Select,%WinDir%\system32\calc.exe

The command above will explore the C:\Windows\System32 folder and put the focus on the calc.exe (calculator) program.

   Tip

If you want the navigation pane to exand open to the item in Windows 8, then you will need to turn on "Expand to Current Folder" in the navigation pane.

• Windows Explorer (default) (opens to Libraries)

(Windows 7)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe

(Windows 8)

Code:

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries

• Computer

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

OR

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe shell:MyComputerFolder

• My Documents

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}

• Documents Library

Code:

%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries\Documents.library-ms

• Downloads

Code:

%UserProfile%\Downloads

• Recycle Bin

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E

• Network Neighborhood

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}

• Default Web Browser (ex: Internet Explorer)

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}

• Computer Search Results Folder

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{1F4DE370-D627-11D1-BA4F-00A0C91EEDBA}

• Network Search Results Folder

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{E17D4FC0-5564-11D1-83F2-00A0C90DC849}

• Web Folders

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{BDEADF00-C265-11D0-BCED-00A0C90AB50F}

• Control Panel

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}

• Printers and Faxes

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}

• Scanners and Cameras

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{E211B736-43FD-11D1-9EFB-0000F8757FCD}

• Fonts

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{D20EA4E1-3957-11d2-A40B-0C5020524152}

• Network Connections or My Network Place

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}

• Administrative Tools

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{D20EA4E1-3957-11d2-A40B-0C5020524153}

• Tasks Scheduler

(Opens in new process)

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}

• User Profile (personal) Folder

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe shell:Profile