How to Include Desktop in Breadcrumbs?

[xichael]

I keep most of my folders on the desktop. Is there some way to get it to appear at the beginning of Windows Explorer's location bar breadcrumbs?

 

[WalkerA WinTeam]

Hi xichael,

I don't think that's possible, but it's easy to get back to the desktop in 1 click by clicking 'Desktop' in the left-hand folder pane in Explorer, under "Favorites".

Cheers,

Walker
Windows Outreach Team

EDIT: Sorry, its official name is the Navigation pane.

 

[xichael]

it's easy to get back to the desktop in 1 click by clicking 'Desktop' in the Navigation pane.

I wish it was one click, but I almost always have to scroll up to get to the icon. I really miss the "up" button at times like these. They want us to use breadcrumbs instead, but then exclude access to one of the most important folders, even when you're just one directory in from it.

There's got to be some way to make this possible...

 

[Brink]

Hello Xichael,

In addition to the above, you could do it in two clicks by clicking on the first arrow in the Windows Explorer address bar, then click on Desktop.

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Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[xichael]

Thanks Shawn. I'm aware of that, but it's still far from the convenience of a breadcrumb/button. It just really should be there. I can't imagine why they'd omit such a basic, obviously useful feature. When I go to try to use it a dozen times a day, and find it missing, it just really starts to get to me.

 

[WalkerA WinTeam]

Yeah that's one of the head-scratchers for me too, I had the same fakeout moments early on in Win7 too. You'll get used to it though It sort of makes sense when you think about it like a folder tree: the Desktop is just a folder within C:\Users\*username*\ and not really a "higher" level of organization than anything else. It's basically a shortcut dump, like Quick Launch. That's how I think about it, anyway...

Walker
Windows Outreach Team

 

[xichael]

Desktop is just a folder within C:\Users\*username*\ and not really a "higher" level of organization than anything else.

Computer isn't an actual directory at all, yet when you're in C:\ it's still right there in the breadcrumbs.

Though Desktop isn't actually a higher directory than some of the things appearing below it in the navigation pane, it's still one directory up from anything actually on the desktop. It ought to be accessible via breadcrumbs just like every other parent folder.

It's basically a shortcut dump, like Quick Launch. That's how I think about it, anyway.

I keep most of my files there, rather than in my Users directory. My desktop has no shortcuts. I think of it as the one directory with the added benefit of being always open under all your windows, and always expanded in the navigation pane. It seems to me the perfect place to keep files... If only you could get to it via breadcrumbs.

 

[WalkerA WinTeam]

I think of it as the one directory with the added benefit of being always open under all your windows, and always expanded in the navigation pane. It seems to me the perfect place to keep files... If only you could get to it via breadcrumbs.

I keep most of my files there, rather than in my Users directory.

But they are in your Users directory! I really like that about the Desktop - as you said, it's the most easily accessible place on your computer, but it still exists as a Users subfolder because its contents are unique to your User account.

I agree about the breadcrumbs, it seems like they just did it that way for consistency... you only ever see one of those abstract "folders" (Favorites, Libraries, Computer, Network) in the breadcrumbs at a time. I suppose you could create a new Library called Desktop and include C:\Users\*username*\Desktop as a folder within it. If you used that anytime you wanted to access Desktop files in Explorer (instead of using the Desktop shortcut under 'Favorites') then you'll always see 'Libraries > Desktop' in the breadcrumbs.

Walker
Windows Outreach Team