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

 

[Brink]

So if I use the one tutorial that's up now, (formerly the 3rd method), does anybody know if it's possible to switch the places of Quick Launch (essentially the 'Toolbar' I just added to the Taskbar) and the main Taskbar items (including pinned items and open windows), putting the QL 'Toolbar' in front of that one? Back where it's supposed to be? Or is that impossible?

~~~~~

Don't worry, I realize the name "Quick Launch" is a misnomer.

Honestly, the only reason I use it is because there are so many programs I use on such a regular basis that I love having all the shortcuts down there on my taskbar. I use it purely for convenience and out of habit.

And I don't have shortcuts on my desktop because I like to have as few icons as possible on my desktop. Ideally, I wish I only had MyComputer and the Recycle Bin, but I'm not yet that disciplined. And I don't use the Start Menu for frequently-used programs because...well...I just don't.

LoL

ChemKneazle,

Sorry, but no.

You might see if the free program RocketDock can work for you as well for frequent shortcuts that you use.

 

[davehc]

Meet undisciplined No.2!

 

[Brink]

Hi Dave,

???? :huh:

 

[davehc]

Hi Brink,
Appropos this conversation. I use a little known Microsoft utility called Desktop. I run it resident. It gives me access to four separate desktops. I have built these, with Shortcut icons, into, you could say, folders. For example, the main one is pretty much the default, with all the standard desktop icons. Number 2 is my office desktop. Office, Excel, Wordpad etc. ..and so on.

 

[Brink]

Dave,

That sounds like a very handy little utility program to have.

 

[davehc]

Sysinternals Miscellaneous Utilities

 

[Brink]

Thank you Dave.

 

[swarfega]

Pinning programs to the taskbar has largely negated the need for quicklaunch imo.

 

[Brink]

Hi Swarfega,

Agreed, but some folks still like to have it.

 

[bobalobabingbong]

Why would you want to use quick launch, when you have this cool dock now? It's like selling your new car for an old one, because you like the old car smell.

 

[Mark]

While I love the new dock, I still don't want to clutter it up too much and I find that the quick launch gives me access to apps that I use on a irregular basis and to have about 20 apps pined to the taskbar would make it ugly and to cluttered for me, as you can see from this screen shot there are far to many apps to have large icons on the taskbar, so for me it is preferable.

 

[bobalobabingbong]

While I love the new dock, I still don't want to clutter it up too much and I find that the quick launch gives me access to apps that I use on a irregular basis and to have about 20 apps pined to the taskbar would make it ugly and to cluttered for me, as you can see from this screen shot there are far to many apps to have large icons on the taskbar, so for me it is preferable.

View attachment 4747

I see what you mean. For me, I just hit the windows key, and type the program I want, if I only use that particular program once in a while. I find that the quick launch gets cluttered just as quickly, with programs I don't use often.

 

[garysgold]

There are 2 things I like about having the toolbar there. First, I can make the icons small on the toolbar without effecting the task bar icons and second (as said before), I can select a file/s and drag and drop them on the toolbar icon and have them open in that program.

Gary

 

[Brink]

Another good thing about this, is that you can use this same method for any folder to have a toolbar of it like this there with any icon in the folder there unlike how some of items get pinned into the Windows Explorer taskbar icon instead.

Umm, I smell another tutorial coming from this.

 

[nzmike]

I have to say I am really disappointed in the new task bar.... I can see where MS are going with it and for most people maybe it will work - but I'm a developer and I have something like 15 apps and tools I use almost every day and for me it just makes the new toolbar really cluttered to have all the ones I had in my Quick Launch on the new "taskband". I also don't use the grouping as (for example) if I have a few XML or Word files open it's very hard from the previews to see which is which.

I tried the steps in the first post to add a QL folder and was delighted when I got my QL bar back. Then I dragged it to the left, re-ordered the icons the way I want them and thought I was a happy camper again. But I came back to my PC this morning and it wasn't on the taskbar anymore - it's just gone!! So I went through the steps again, dragged it to the left again, re-ordered the icons the way I want them *again* - then later I had to reset and on restart it's gone again!

So, as much I like W7 so far, this is the single most annoying feature. What I *never* understand with MS is why suddenly everyone has to work the the way they "deem" is best for us - why can't we have the option to have the Quick launch and the old style task bar like Vista? Surely it can't be impossible to allow both methods?

I embrace new technology more than anyone I know (hence going to W7 beta 7000 on my main machine) and am not scared of change but this new taskbar is a real pain for me.... if anyone on the W7 team at MS sees this *please* give your users who are going to pay for this O/S to use the old style taskbar!

 

[Brink]

Hello nzmike,

You can unpin all icons on the taskbar, then use the tutorial below to go back to buttons instead of icons for open windows to get closer to the older Vista taskbar.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/432-taskbar-open-window-buttons-icons.html


It will not solve your current issue with the Quick Launch toolbar though. You might do a Repair install before doing any of this to see if it can fix the Quick Launch issue, then apply the above to have a taskbar more like Vista.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[nzmike]

Thanks Shawn, I'll check that link out. The QL bar disappearing could have something to do with the fact I upgraded from Vista 64 HP which was a bit flaky itself from time to time. I've had quite a few different issues since I upgraded it to W7 so I think at some stage (the next rainy weekend day maybe) I'll blow it away and do a clean W7 install.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Mike. Let us know if you have any questions for this when you're ready.

 

[MB17]

I enjoy and agree that "pinning" seems to be better than the quick launch, nevertheless the problem for me was that you can't pin a specific folder. I mean, you can, but it assigned under "explorer" which basically kills part of the easiness of the access you want with either pinning or Quick Launch. That's why I restored my "Quick Launch" and am using only with my most accessed folders. Software are pinned.

And thanks for the tutorial. I've used a lot the Vista forums (still use sometimes) and now decided to register. Great forum.

 

[Brink]

Hello MB17, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yes, it would be nice to pin folders to the taskbar like any other program instead of using a toolbar or the pinned Windows Explorer icon.

Hopefully if enough people send feedback to Microsoft on this, they may include this option.