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

 

[Chimel]

That's exactly the point this whole thread is trying to make, that the Windows 7 UI team made a compromise that does not work for everybody when they introduce this regression, putting the priority on the cosmetic aspect vs usability.

There is no redundancy with the QL bar since there is no alternative way to quickly open multiple instances of an application such as Notepad, Windows Explorer or Command Prompt with a single click. I have 5 apps pinned to my task bar, but over a dozen on 2 lines in my QL bar.

I actually find it neat to put some less frequently used shortcuts in the QL bar rather than cluttering the main task bar, for instance accessories like Calculator and Character Pad. Their fixed position in the QL bar also makes it easier to memorize their location or find them. It's also much faster to visually browse the small QL area to find your shortcut compared to scanning 2 lines of icons and minimized apps on almost the whole width of the screen.

 

[monelikemal]

I want to replace Quick launch toolbar in left near the start menu/
How to change?

 

[Brink]

Hello Monelikemal, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Did you mean replace or place?

If "replace", then what did you want to replace it with?

If "place", then step 8 in Option One in the tutorial on the first page will help show you how to drag the Quick Launch toolbar over to the left side of the taskbar.

Hope this helps for now,
Shawn

 

[Chimel]

Hi Shawn, how do you get to that tutorial?

When I click on "Click here to read the entire tutorial" in your first post, it always leads me to the same http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/888-quick-launch-enable-disable.html link, which is this very thread, not a link to any tutorial. I don't see any step 8 or option 1 anywhere. From the very start of reading this thread I always thought that the whole tutorial thing was the few screenshots in your post, but apparently there is more to it.

I have been looking forward to move the QL bar to its original Vista location near the Start/Windows button too.

 

[Brink]

Chimel,

When you click on that link to go to the first page and post (the tutorial) of this thread, scroll down a bit past the examples at the top of the tutorial until you see the "OPTION ONE" section. The steps will be underneath it.

 

[Chimel]

Sorry Shawn, there is nothing there for me, no OPTION ONE section in your first post.

I found out why, there seems to be a bug in the forums: I had my User CP settings set to display the newest posts first. In that configuration, your whole tutorial is reduced to a line with an ellipse ("...") between the title of your post "How to Enable or Disable Quick Launch in Windows 7" and that new "Click here to read the entire tutorial" link that does not expand as I suppose it should.

I could see your other tutorial "How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Taskbar Button Grouping" even with the settings set to display the newest posts first, so that's weird.

That step 8 worked fine for me, thanks! Stupid me was trying to move the QL toolbar left instead of the taskbar right. Counter-intuitive Windows... ;(
I changed back the thread display mode to "Linear - Newest first" and the bug repros, maybe check if it does the same for you.

 

[Brink]

Ah, ok. No wonder why you were not seeing the tutorial then. I'm happy to hear that you got it all sorted out.

 

[MJ08]

My quick launch toolbar can't be moved to the left side, how can I fix that?

 

[Brink]

Hello MJ08, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Did you unlock the taskbar first? (step 8A)

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[periboob]

My quick launch toolbar can't be moved to the left side, how can I fix that?

Hi MJ08, even after I unlocked as Brink suggested, I could not move the QL bar to the left either. But what did work, was to drag the whole rest of the taskbar to the right of the new QL bar (drag the left handle on the task bar). Then I was able to re-size things to the way I wanted. It takes some patience. Be sure and re-lock when you have it where you want.

 

[Chimel]

Yep, that's step 8B: You don't move the QL bar left, you need to move the taskbar right of the QL bar as stated in Brink's tutorial.

 

[MJ08]

I just fixed it.

Thanks

 

[Brink]

My quick launch toolbar can't be moved to the left side, how can I fix that?

Hello MJ08, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Did you unlock the taskbar first? (step 8A)

Hope this helps,
Shawn

I just fixed it.

Thanks

That's great news. You're most welcome.

 

[JimB62]

Excellent Tutorial Brink!

That was probably the easiest tutorial I've tried to follow yet. It was clear, concise, to the point. I find that most of the time they will over-explain the process which just overwhelms a noob such as myself, the illustrations made it even easier. Thanks for the help.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Jim, and welcome to Seven Forums. Thank you.

 

[montecarlo1987]

RE: Having Issues Launching Hidden Programs In The Quick Launch Bar?

Hello. I need your help with this issue.

I have successfully added the Quick Launch Bar to my Windows 7 Professional over a week ago. Since then I have added several programs where now I have exceeded the icons displayed in the quick launch bar. I have no intentions of extending the size of the quick launch bar across the lenght of my taskbar. Now, maybe I have overlooked this or someone here may of already posted this particular issue; but as I keep adding programs to the quick launch, I am now getting them placed invisible behind the double right arrow now. If I single click on the double right arrow, I get a vertical listing of the program icons that are hidden above the double right arrow. Okay, this is like Windows XP or Vista's quick launch bar's actions with hidden program icons. Now, if I click on any one of the hidden program icons in the vertical listing of the quick launch bar, NOTHING HAPPENS (None of them launch!)! That is strange, because if I clicked on any one of the hidden programs icons in the quick launch bar in Windows Vista and XP, they would launch. Hmmm... ...no launching here? Something happening? What is different now? Is there a way for me to get the hidden programs icons in the quick launch bar to launch if they were not meant to be at this point?

Please reply.

Thank you!

 

[Chimel]

There was a maximum of 10 shortcuts in Vista, I don't suppose the number has been increased in Windows 7 since the feature was removed.

You should move your most important shortcuts to the Taskbar, keep the next important ones in the QL bar and use the Start menu for the less frequently used apps. Some apps may have been programmed to show in the System Tray/Notification Area, in which case you can remove them from QL and configure the System Tray to make them visible (vertical arrow "Show hidden icons").

Tips:

• I have my QL bar/Task bar set on 2 lines, expanding vertically instead of horizontally.
• Instead of adding shortcuts to applications in your QL, you can create subfolders in your QL folder, for instance Video, Games, Media Players, etc. These folders will act as a second layer of menu, you'll just need to populate these subfolders with the appropriate shortcuts. I don't do that in my QL bar, 10 shortcuts is plenty for me, but I have 7 such subfolders in my \Users\All Users\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder: Accessories, Applications, Complements, Games, Media Players, Startup, Web Browsers, and just a single shortcut for Windows Update.

 

[chrysalis]

there is no such limit, I currently have 19 icons in my quick launch without problems, unlock the taskbar and then drag the bar right so there is enough room for them without the arrow.

 

[Chimel]

Cool, then I don't know what's blocking montecarlo1987 if it's not what you said.
Meh, my previous link was deleted, my post is not so helpful anymore.

 

[chrysalis]

yeah I can see why 10 would be seen as a big issue, as my taskbar is 4 high, I also raised the height, so to fit 19 on its not that wide. Only about 1/20th the width.