Quick Launch - Enable or Disable

How to Enable or Disable Quick Launch in Windows 7​

   Information

By default Quick Launch is disabled in Windows 7. This will show you how to enable or disable Quick Launch as a taskbar toolbar using small or large icons in Windows 7.

   Note

Quick Launch is a toolbar on the taskbar. Quick Launch is used to open a program quickly from a shortcut from within it separate from the pinned programs on the taskbar.

The Quick Launch folder is located at the hidden system folder location below to add shortcuts to.

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

   Tip

Microsoft has made available a hotfix that will resolve a problem where the taskbar customizations are lost and reset to defaults when automatic logon is enabled in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. More details are available at FIX: The Taskbar is reset to the default settings when you use the "Automatically Log On" feature in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2.



If you still have the issue of where the pinned Quick Launch used in this tutorial disappears on you after logging off and on or restarting the computer, then a workaround for this issue is to either:

• Save your current theme after adding Quick Launch.
• If you have a 32-bit Windows 7, then it has been reported that you may need to turn off UAC if Quick Launch is disappearing on you after every restart.
• Open the hidden Quick Launch folder in the NOTE box above, then right click in the folder and click on New and Shortcut to add a shortcut into Quick Launch instead.
• Create a new folder, copy the shortcuts in the Quick Launch folder above into the new folder, then pin the new folder to the taskbar instead just like the Quick Launch folder here.
• To use a Microsoft hotfix. It is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.
  • Information: FIX: The Taskbar is reset to the default settings when you use the "Automatically Log On" feature in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Download link: Help and Support

EXAMPLE: Default Windows 7 Taskbar

EXAMPLE: Quick Launch Enabled on Right Side of Taskbar
NOTE: This is the new Quick Launch toolbar with text and title, small icons, or large icons.

EXAMPLE: Quick Launch Enabled on Left Side of Taskbar
NOTE: This is the new Quick Launch toolbar without text and title, and with small icons or large icons.

OPTION ONE

To Add Quick Launch to Taskbar

1. Right click on a empty space on the taskbar, then select (hover on) Taskbar and click on New Toolbar. (See screenshot below)

2. In the Folder line, type or copy the location below. (See screenshot below)
%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

3. Click on the Select Folder button. (See screenshot above)

4. You now have a Quick Launch toolbar on the taskbar. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Click on the arrow to see your Quick Launch shortcuts.

5. To Expand the Quick Launch Toolbar
A) Unlock the taskbar.

B) Left click and hold on the dotted separator line just to the left of Quick Launch, then drag it to the left or right to adjust to unhide all of the icons. Release the left click when done. (See screenshot below)

C) Lock the taskbar.
6. To Remove Quick Launch Toolbar Icon Text or Title
A) Unlock the taskbar.

B) Right click on the dotted separator line just to the left of Quick Launch, then uncheck the Show Text and Show Title by clicking on them. (See screenshot below step 5B)

C) Lock the taskbar.
7. To Have Small or Large Icons for Quick Launch Toolbar
A) Unlock the taskbar.

B) Right click on the dotted separator line just to the left of Quick Launch, then click on View and select to have Large Icons or Small Icons. (See screenshot below step 5B)

C) Lock the taskbar.
8. To Have Quick Launch Toolbar on Left Side of Taskbar
A) Unlock the taskbar.

B) Left click and hold on the dotted separator line just to the left of Quick Launch, then drag Quick Launch as far to the left on the taskbar as you are able to and release.

C) If you still have any pinned program icons to the left of Quick Launch, then left click and hold on the dotted separator line just to the left of the icons and hold, and drag it to the right past Quick Launch and release. (See screenshot below)

D) The Quick Launch toolbar is now on the far left side of the taskbar. (See screenshot below)

E) Left click and hold on the dotted separator line for the other icons and drag them left or right to make any adjustments to how you want them placed on the taskbar. (See screenshot above)

F) Lock the taskbar.

OPTION TWO

To Remove Quick Launch from Taskbar

1. Right click on a empty space on the taskbar and click on Toolbars and Quick Launch to uncheck and remove it from the taskbar. (See screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Add Quick Launch to the "Send to" Context Menu in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Backup and Restore Taskbar Toolbars in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Reset and Clear All Taskbar Toolbars in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Pin or Unpin a Folder to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Use Small or Large Icons on the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Taskbar Button Grouping
• How to Lock or Unlock the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Move the Windows 7 Taskbar Location on the Desktop
• How to Show or Hide the Windows 7 Taskbar with Auto-hide
• How to Center the Taskbar Icons in Windows 7
• How to Create a Internet Website Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Use Toolbars in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Pin or Unpin a Drive to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Add or Remove a Toolbar on the Taskbar in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Adding and Removing Taskbar Toolbars in Vista and Windows 7

 

[unifex]

Thanks for the tutorial! It helps a lot and I do need the QL (and no, I don't think that pinning to the taskbar achieves the same purpose)!

However, here's my experience on the QL disappearance - it stays where it is as long as nothing major happens to the system, i.e. nothing gets installed. If I install a new theme - say by downloading from the MS Windows 7 site - sometimes the QL disappears on the next reboot. It has also disappeared after I have installed Samurize - although it now runs fine along with my Samurize config. Why would it disappear after a theme or a program would get installed - I do not know.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Unifex. Thank you for the addition information that may help those that may have QL disappear on them for no reason.

 

[sabbietage]

Thanks for that - I really mised the quick launch bar and was bugged how the way programs pinned to task bar worked

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Sabbietage, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[churin]

I could create the Quick Launch. It was placed in the System Tray area as the tutorial indicates. My problem is how to move it adjacent to the Start button as is the case with Vista. I think I am following the step 8, B) but the Quick Launch does not move.
I wonder what I am doing wrong. Could anyone help?

Edit: I could manage to do it.

 

[Spagnum]

Thanks so much for this. I really missed my traditional quick launch....

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Spagnum, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[churin]

Thanks to this tutorial I could turn on the Quick Launch. However, for some reason it was undone by the process of rebooting the system. I brought back the Quick Launch following the same procedure again but to no avail. What could be wrong?

 

[Brink]

Hello Churin,

As a test, create another administrator account to see if it works ok in it.

 

[churin]

Hellow Brink,

I did what you suggested and found no such problem on the new account. I turned on Quick Launch once again on the original account but the same problem repeated.

There must be something wrong with the personal profile for the original account. One solution is to rebuild a new personal profile from scratch. But is there any further suggestion to possibly pin point what the cause of this problem is? If so I would rather pursue that rout even though it takes more time than rebuilding the profile.

 

[Brink]

Churin,

There's no telling what could be the cause of this possible corrupt account issue.

You can copy the contents of your old account's user folders into the corresponding new account's user folders to copy over all of your settings and shortcuts from the old account. After everything checks out, you can delete the old account from within the new one.

 

[churin]

You can copy the contents of your old account's user folders into the corresponding new account's user folders to copy over all of your settings and shortcuts from the old account. After everything checks out, you can delete the old account from within the new one.

That's something I thought about but was not sure if it would solve the problem because the new account might inherit corrupt part of the old account profile. Anyway I will try that and will post back.

Edit: I logged in to the new account to start the work but found no Quick Launch. The account was created for experimental purpose as you suggested. I previously reported there was no problem on the new account but that is found to be incorrect. The Quick Launch setting could stand aleast one cycle of Boot/Reboot but obviosly no more.

 

[Brink]

Umm, try a repair install to see if it may be able to stop this without losing anything.

 

[churin]

I am out on the road now and I will try the repair install when I will be back home in a couple of days.

 

[Brink]

Ok, please let us know how it went.

 

[churin]

I did the repair install but that did not cure the problem.

After the repair install, I rebooted the system and the Quick Launch showed up. Then I rebooted again and found that the Quick Launch disappeared.

I have three other W7 machines and one of them also has the same problem. I do not have any idea to try. Maybe this is a bug which requires a hotfix from MS for resolution.

 

[Brink]

Churin,

I'm not sure why either since it works fine on my system even after a restart.


To see if there may be a common cause with others that may have this problem:

• How did you install your Windows 7 originally? (ex: clean, upgrade, etc...)
• What build or copy of Windows 7 are you using? (ex: retail, torrent, etc...)
• What antivirus program, or any other security program, are you using?
• Anything else that you can think of that may not be a part of a normal installation.

 

[Sonixmon]

Thanks!

Thanks a lot for this Guide , I am one of those who cant seem to deal with the pin to taskbar option. I find that switching between simular docs, webpages is harder to sort. Also having to right click to open new instance was annoying. Items moving around and the amount of room they took. Also it was harder to tell if a program was running or not. I just hope my quicklaunch doesnt start disapearing, especially when changing themes.

I do feel like some people use quick lanch as Start menu! IMO, The show desktop button is most important for me as well as 4-5 quick lanch apps. Programs I use daily that dont stay open all the time (IE, FF, Xfire, etc) If I use a program once or twice a week I may pin it to start menu, if use it any less it is either on the desktop or more than likely in the start menu. If it is a program that stays open, hopefully it shows in the taskbar (like nvidia ctrl panel etc.).

Funny thing too, before finding this guide I tried to pin show desktop to the taskbar couldnt do it. It will let you send it to desktop as a shortcut LOL. So if I minimize all my prgs to see desktop I can click on show desktop and guess what happens.....The programs pop back up. ROFL.:roflmao:

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Sonixmon, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[churin]

Churin,
To see if there may be a common cause with others that may have this problem:

• How did you install your Windows 7 originally? (ex: clean, upgrade, etc...)
• What build or copy of Windows 7 are you using? (ex: retail, torrent, etc...)
• What antivirus program, or any other security program, are you using?
• Anything else that you can think of that may not be a part of a normal installation.

Please see the attached table. W7 is that which was downloaded direct from MS and is the same as retail version. Thus W7 were installed to Unit B,C,D from the same physical DVD. I thought of finding something in common among those which have the problem to determine the possible cause but could not see anything.