How to Create a "Favorites" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to create or download a Favorites shortcut that opens directly to Favorites in the navigation pane of explorer in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

EXAMPLE: Favorites

OPTION ONE

To Download a "Favorites" Shortcut

1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the Favorites.zip file.

Download

2. Save the .zip file to your desktop.

3. Open the .zip file, and extract (drag and drop) the Favorites shortcut to your desktop.

4. Unblock the Favorites shortcut.

5. In Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

6. In Windows 8 and 8.1, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

7. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like.

OPTION TWO

To Manually Create a "Favorites" Shortcut

1. Right click or press and hold on an empty area on your desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.

2. Copy and paste the location below into the location area, and click/tap on the Next button. (See screenshot below)

%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}

3. Type Favorites for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can name this anything you would like though.

4. Right click or press and hold on the new Favorites shortcut, and click/tap on Properties.

5. Click/tap on the Shortcut tab, then click/tap on the Change Icon button. (See screenshot below)

6. In the line under "Look for icons in this file", copy and paste the location below, and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

%windir%\system32\imageres.dll

7. Select the icon highlighted in blue above, and click/tap on OK. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: You can use any icon that you would like instead though.

8. Click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below)

9. In Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

10. In Windows 8 and 8.1, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Add or Remove Favorites from the Navigation Pane in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Favorites" from Navigation Pane in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Change Default Icon of Favorites in Navigation Pane in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Fix Empty Favorites in Windows Explorer Navigation Pane
• Restore Default Favorite Links in Navigation Pane of Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Rename "Favorites" in Navigation Pane in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• Add or Remove Links in "Favorites" in Navigation Pane of Windows 7 and Windows 8