How to Create an "Offline Files Folder" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8
Information
This tutorial will show you how to create or download an
Offline Files Folder shortcut to be able to
view your offline files easier and faster in
Windows 7 and
Windows 8.
Note
In Windows 7, offline files is only available in the Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions.
In Windows 8, offline files is only available in the Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise editions.
EXAMPLE: Offline Files Folder
OPTION ONE
To Download an "Offline Files Folder" Shortcut
1. To Download the "Offline Files Folder" Shortcut
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to
step 4 below.
Offline_Files_Folder.zip
2. To Download the "Computers" Offline File Folder Shortcut
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to
step 4 below.
Computers - Offline Files Folder.zip
3. To Download the "Mapped Network Drives" Offline File Folder Shortcut
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to
step 4 below.
Mapped Network Drives - Offline Files Folder.zip
4. Save the .zip file to your desktop.
5. Open the downloaded .zip file and extract (drag and drop) the shortcut to the desktop
.
6. Right click on the extracted shortcut, and click/tap on
Properties,
General tab, and on the
Unblock button.
NOTE: If you do not have a Unblock button under the General tab, then the shortcut is already unblocked and you can continue on to step 7.
7. 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.
8. In
Windows 8, 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.
9. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like.
OPTION TWO
To Manually Create an "Offline Files Folder" Shortcut
1. Right click or press and hold on an empty area on desktop, and click/tap on
New and
Shortcut.
2. Copy and paste the location below for the shortcut you want into the location area, and click/tap on the
Next button. (See screenshot below)
For the "Offline Files Folder" Shortcut
Code:
%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{AFDB1F70-2A4C-11d2-9039-00C04F8EEB3E}
For the "Computers" Offline File Folder Shortcut
Code:
%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{AFDB1F70-2A4C-11d2-9039-00C04F8EEB3E}\Computers
For the "Mapped Network Drives" Offline File Folder Shortcut
Code:
%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{AFDB1F70-2A4C-11d2-9039-00C04F8EEB3E}\MappedDrives
3. Type in a
name you would like for this shortcut, and click/tap on the
Finish button. (See screenshot below)
4. Right click on the new shortcut on the Desktop, 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)
%SystemRoot%\System32\cscui.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, 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