Restore Default Favorites Links in Navigation Pane of Windows 7 and Windows 8
Information
This will show you how to restore the default Desktop, Downloads, and Recent Places links in Favorites in the navigation paneof Windows 7 and Windows 8.
Note
If your Favorites is completely empty, then also see How to Fix Empty Favorites in Windows Explorer Navigation Pane to see if this may be the issue instead.
EXAMPLE: Default Favorites
OPTION ONE
To Use "Restore favorite links" Context Menu Item
2. Right click on Favorites in the navigation pane, and click on Restore favorite links. (see screenshot below)

OPTION TWO
To Download and Manually Restore Default Favorite Links
Download
B) Downloads
Download
C) Recent Places
Download
2. Save the .zip file(s) to your Desktop.
3. Right click or press and hold on each of the downloaded .zip files, click/tap on Extract all, then extract the favorite link to your Desktop.
4. Unblock the extracted favorite link.
5. In Explorer navigate to your C:\Users\(user-name)\Links folder. (see screenshot below)

6. Cut and Paste (move) the extracted favorite links to inside the C:\Users\(user-name)\Links folder. (see screenshot above)
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Fix Empty Favorites in Windows Explorer Navigation Pane
- 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 Favorites from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
- 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
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