Favorites - Add or Remove from Navigation Pane

How to Add or Remove Favorites from Navigation Pane in Windows 7​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Favorites folder in the Windows Explorer Navigation Pane in Windows 7.

   Tip

The default folder for Favorites is the Links folder located at the location below.

C:\Users\(user-name)\Links

   Warning

• You can only do this while logged into an administrator account.
• This will affect all user account's on the computer.

EXAMPLE: Favorites in Navigation Pane
NOTE: This is the Favorites group added (default) (left screenshot below) and removed (right screenshot below) from the Navigation Pane.




Here's How:
1. Open the Start Menu and type regedit.exe in the search line, then press enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

3. In Regedit, go to the location below: (See screenshot below step 4)

HKEY\CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}\ShellFolder

4. In the left pane of regedit, right click on the ShellFolder key and click on Permissions. (See screenshot below)

5. At the top, select the Administrators group. At the bottom, check the Allow box to the right of Full Control and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

6. In the right pane of regedit, right click on Attributes and click on Modify. (See screenshot below)

7. To Add Favorites to the Navigation Pane
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Type in a0900100 and click on OK. (see screenshot below)

B) Go to step 9.
8. To Remove Favorites from the Navigation Pane
A) Type in a9400100 and click on OK. (see screenshot below)

9. If you have 64-bit Windows 7 Installed

   Note

CREDIT TO: Kookster for this addition.

To also add or remove Favorites from the "Open" and "Save as" type windows as well in 64-bit Windows 7, you will also need to do this step.

If you have a 32-bit Windows 7 installed, then skip this step since doing steps 1 to 7/8 will add or remove Favorites from the "Open" and "Save as" type windows as well.

A) In Regedit, go to the location below:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}\ShellFolder

B) Repeat steps 4 to 7/8 above.
10. Close regedit.

11. Restart the computer to fully apply.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Create a "Favorites" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Change Default Icon of Favorites in Navigation Pane in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Add or Remove the "Libraries" Folder from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Homegroup" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Computer" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Network" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove "Control Panel" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove your "User Folder" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove the "Recycle Bin" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Hide or Show a Library in the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Turn On or Off Expand to Current Folder in Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Change the Active Navigation Folder Icon in Windows 7
• How to Show or Not Show All Folders in the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Turn the Navigation Pane On or Off in Windows 7
• Fix Empty Favorites in Navigation Pane Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• 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 "Favorites" Links in Navigation Pane of Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Create a Windows 7 "Links" Library with the Correct Icon

 

[asterismW]

Great guides

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for these Navigation Pane tutorials. I've always hated those stupid folders, and I will never understand why Microsoft doesn't make it easy to customize Explorer. Not all of us want or even use Favorites, or the User folder, or whatever; we shouldn't be forced to see them all the time. My Navigation pane is now neat and uncluttered.

So again, thanks!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Asterism. I'm glad that they were of help to you.

 

[SnackCabinet]

Favorites - Add or Remove from Navigation Pane [Problem]

So I tried following the tutorial "Favorites - Add or Remove from Navigation Pane" and ran into a problem. When I try to set permission, it says "Unable to save permission changes to ShellFolder. Access denied." Help anyone? Be much appreciated.

 

[Brink]

Hello CosmicPoptart,

It sounds like you may need to take ownership of the "ShellFolder" key first using step 3 in OPTION THREE of the tutorial below.

Take Ownership of file - Vista Forums

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[redtuiop]

Joining in here with my own issues in trying to do this fix.

I've a brand new Asus notebook (S56C series) with Win 8 (64x) installed on it. All was ok at the outset (a week ago!) but then I've done something to "break" the OS to some degree as I've lost tiles for no reason, but more importantly in the Desktop view have had a lot of issues with Win Explorer (not opening up & missing folders).

I've also lost my Favorites folder but when working through the fix, found all the keys already present & properly filled so wasn't sure anything would be benefited from redoing them? However, I can't get the folder to show itself for anything .

Unsure how to progress with it given the above.

THanks
TKR

 

[Brink]

Hello TKR,

Since this is a Windows 8 issue instead of Windows 7, you should see the tutorial below at our sister site EightForums instead.

Favorites - Add or Remove from Navigation Pane in Windows 8


Considering all of the issues you are having, you might refresh or reset Windows 8 instead to see if that may sort all or most of the issues.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[redtuiop]

Sorry Shawn - silly of me - should have thought to put the question in the right forum, but was just so happy to finally find someone discussing a fix for the issue & figured there weren't too many differences between the 2 OS's perhaps to worry.

Appreciate the links & will consider undertaking the actions you suggest too.

Thanks tons
Romayne

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Romayne. I hope they help.

 

[horstj]

Hi all,

I was wondering if there is a list of mappings in the registry or somewhere else where you can manually edit the entries in the favorites display in explorer. I know you can right click and add current location, but I would like to see the actual mappings if at all possible. I am using Win 7 sp1 x64.

Any help would be great!

 

[Brink]

Hello Horstj,

All links under Favorites in the navigation pane are stored as shortcuts in the "C:\Users\(user-name)\Links" folder.

 

[horstj]

Great! Thanks Brink.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Horstj.

 

[Infinite]

Hey Brink, thanks for the tutorial. I applied this tweak and it worked, however in dialogue boxes; Favourites are still shown in dialogue boxes.



Any registry key that controls this that may be modified?

 

[Brink]

Hello Infiinite,

Double check step 9 to make sure it was set properly.

If it was, then use the Find and Find Next feature in Registry Editor to search for the key below. If any are found, check to make sure that in it's ShellFolder subkey to repeat steps 4 to 7/8 in the tutorial to make sure that Attributes is set to a9400100 as well.
{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}

Hope this helps.

 

[Infinite]

Hello Infiinite,

Double check step 9 to make sure it was set properly.

If it was, then use the Find and Find Next feature in Registry Editor to search for the key below. If any are found, check to make sure that in it's ShellFolder subkey to repeat steps 4 to 7/8 in the tutorial to make sure that Attributes is set to a9400100 as well.
{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}

Hope this helps.

Ah, I must have got to Step 8 and thought everything was complete and read past it. Thanks

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Infinite. I'm glad that got it.

 

[fnukyguy]

I want to bring "Favorites" back to the navigation pane but changing the value back to a0900100 as described in the guide does not bring it back....any ideas?
I do exactly as the guide says, (permissions, reboot etc) but it doesnt work

windows 7 64-bit

 

[Brink]

Hello fnukyguy, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Do you remember what you used to remove Favorites from the navigation pane? It may have used a different method than what's in this tutorial.

 

[fnukyguy]

thank you!

Im pretty sure I used the method described in this guide..
is it possible that the windows update patches released this tuesday may have something to do with this?

I was just able to get the "favorite" back on another computer I have, and that computer has not installed any of the updates released this tuesday

 

[Brink]

No, the updates shouldn't have affected this.

Please go ahead and post a screenshot showing what you have in the registry for the same as you see below step 6 to see if it may help.

In addition, use the Find and Find Next feature in regedit to search for all instances of the {323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E} key. For each one found, check it's ShellFolder subkey to make sure it's Attributes DWORD is also set as a0900100. When there's no more found, restart the PC to apply to see if Favorites is back now.