How to Open and Use Windows 7 Start Menu and Taskbar Jump Lists
InformationJump Lists help you easily find and open the files and programs you use often. This will show you how to open and use the Start menu and taskbar Jump Lists in Windows 7.
For more information about Jump Lists, see: Developing for the Windows 7 Taskbar - Jump into Jump Lists - Part 1 - Windows 7 for Developers - The Windows Blog
NoteJump lists provide quick access to application features. Think of Jump Lists as a mini Start menu for the application. You can use Jump Lists on the taskbar and the Start menu to open your most frequently visited websites, recently opened files, and favorite programs with just one click. This helps eliminate the need to open the program and then load the relevant file, or by performing common tasks without opening the program first. Programs that use the system API for their Most Recently Used list (the list of recently used filenames that many apps have in their File menus) will automatically acquire a Jump List containing their most recently used files. You can Pin the programs and files you use the most on the taskbar and Start menu so you can open them from the same spot every time for quicker access.
On a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2, the Jump List of an application may disappear permanently when you use the application to open or save a new item. This issue occurs when there are 999 items in the Jump List already.
Installing the update at the link below resolves the issue and enables the displaying of the Jump Lists.
A Jump List is not displayed in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2 if the list contains more than 999 items
WarningJump Lists will require that you have Recent Programs and Recent Items turned on for it to work.
A Tasks jump list for program (ex: Windows Live Messenger) options does not require to have Recent Programs or Recent Items turned on to work though.
OPTION ONEJump Lists in the Start Menu
NOTE: Jump Lists don't appear in the All Programs area in the Start menu.
1. Open the Start Menu.
2. Hover over a program in the Start Menu "pin to area" that has a arrow to the right of it indicating it has a jump list. (see screenshots below step 3)
3. The jump list for the selected program will now automatically expand open. Select a jump list item. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: You can also select the program in the Start menu pin area, then use the Shift+Tab keys to move over to the jump list. Next, use the arrow keys to select a jump list item and press Enter to open it.
OPTION TWOOpen Jump Lists on the Taskbar
1. Right click on a pinned icon on the taskbar (ex: Windows Explorer icon), and go to step 4.OR
2. Press the Windows + ALT + (1-10) keys for the icon in the numerical order from either left to right or top to bottom on the taskbar, then go to step 4.
OR
3. Left click and hold on a pinned icon on the taskbar, drag up and release the left click, and go to step 4.
4. From here you can select what item you want to open with the selected program. (See screeshots below)
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Backup and Restore Jump Lists in Windows 7
- How to Pin or Unpin Items in Windows 7 Jump Lists
- How to Enable or Disable Pinning and Unpinning of Items in Windows 7 Jump Lists
- How to Change the Number of Recent Items to Display in Windows 7 Jump Lists
- How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Taskbar
- How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Start Menu
- How to Turn Recent Programs On or Off in Windows 7
- How to Turn Recent Items On or Off in Windows 7
- How to Create Custom Jump Lists in Windows 7
- How to Reset and Clear All Items in Windows 7 Jump Lists
- How to Enable or Disable Recent Items in Windows 7 and Vista