Quick Launch - Add to Taskbar in Windows 8

How to Add Quick Launch to the Taskbar in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove Quick Launch as a toolbar on your taskbar in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.

You can have Quick Launch display with small or large icons on either side of the taskbar.

   Note

Quick Launch is located in the hidden folder path below.

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

   Tip

You can add more shortcuts into Quick Launch by using either method below.

• Drag any shortcut, file, folder, drive over Quick Launch on the taskbar until you see either Move to Quick Launch or Create link in Quick Launch, then drop the item to create a shortcut of it in Quick Launch.
• Open the hidden Quick Launch folder above, and create a new shortcut for the item in it.

To Remove a shortcut from within Quick Launch, you can right click on the shortcut from either taskbar or hidden folder location above and click on Delete.

EXAMPLE: Quick Launch on taskbar in Windows 8

OPTION ONE

To Add "Quick Launch" to Taskbar in Windows 8

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1. Go to your desktop.​

NOTE: You could press the :winkey: + D keys to do so.​

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2. Right click or press and hold on an empty space on the taskbar of your main display, click/tap on Toolbars, and click/tap on New toolbar. (see screenshot below)​

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3. In the Folder line, copy and paste the location below, and click/tap on Select Folder. (see screenshot below)​

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%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch​

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4. You now have Quick Launch on the taskbar. If you like, you can do steps 5, 6, and/or 7 below to customize Quick Launch to how you like. (see screenshot below)​

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5. To Remove Text and Title from Items in Quick Launch​

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A) Unlock the taskbar.​

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B) Right click or press and hold 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)​

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6. To Use Large or Small Icons for Items in Quick Launch​

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A) Unlock the taskbar.​

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B) Right click or press and hold on the dotted separator line just to the left of Quick Launch, click/tap on View, and click/tap on Large Icons or Small Icons to check the one you want to use. (see screenshot below step 5B)​

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7. To Move Quick Launch to the Left Side of the Taskbar​

NOTE: If you had previously moved the taskbar to the left or right side of the screen, then you would be moving Quick Launch to the top of the taskbar instead.​

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A) Unlock the taskbar.​

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B) Left click and hold on the dotted separator line (ex: for pinned apps) on the far left side of the taskbar, then drag the pointer to the right of the dotted separator line for Quick Launch. (see screenshot below)​

NOTE: Be sure to keep the pointer within the taskbar while dragging.​

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C) Drag the dotted separator line (ex: for pinned apps) now on the right side back to the left until you get to the edge of Quick Launch without condensing Quick Launch, then release. (see screenshots below)​

NOTE: Be sure to keep the pointer within the taskbar while dragging.​

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8. When finished, lock the taskbar.​

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OPTION TWO

To Remove "Quick Launch" from Taskbar in Windows 8

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1. Go to your desktop.​

NOTE: You could press the :winkey: + D keys to do so.​

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2. Right click or press and hold on an empty space on the taskbar of your main display, click/tap on Toolbars, and click/tap on Quick Launch to uncheck it. (see screenshot below)​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Open the Taskbar in Windows 8.1
• How to Move Taskbar Location in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Add or Remove Toolbars on the Taskbar in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Back Up and Restore Taskbar Toolbars in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Reset and Clear Taskbar Toolbars in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Pin or Unpin Apps to the Taskbar in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Create a Start Menu Toolbar on the Taskbar in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Add Quick Launch to "Send to" Context Menu in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Pin the Recycle Bin to the Taskbar in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Create a Control Panel All Tasks (GodMode) Toolbar in Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[polas]

Hi,all
How to add quick launch in taskbar using this method but through registry ?

 

[Brink]

Hello Polas,

There's really not a way to do this by a simple registry setting that I know of since you are basically just adding the Quick Launch folder to the taskbar as a toolbar.

However, if you like, you could use the tutorial below to be able to easily backup and restore all toolbars and pinned programs on the taskbar to make restoring them easy.

Taskbar - Backup and Restore Pinned Items in Windows 7 - Windows 7 Forums

 

[Ex_Brit]

Anyone know why I can't get the Quicklaunch icons to wrap into two or more lines?
In case you are wondering I'm using Start8 to give me the desktop Start.





Edit: Ignore, doh, it would help if I unlocked the taskbar first & moved the toolbar....ooops. Fixed. LOL

 

[Brink]

Hello Peter,

No worries mate.

 

[Ex_Brit]

LOL, just my senility showing.

 

[Brink]

I know how that is.

 

[winlinx]

This worked for me in Windows 7. It works on Windows 8 too, BUT only temporarily. It goes away after a few days. Anyone know a fix? Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Hello winlinx, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Does this happen to any other toolbars?

As a workaround, create a New Folder where you like, copy the shortcuts from the Quick Launch folder (see note box at top of tutorial) into the new folder, then do the tutorial again using the New Folder's path instead at step 3.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Marianne]

I think I've finally (I think) got Quick Launch on my Taskbar, Thank you, but now how do I use it? When I click on it, it doesn't seem to bring me to a place where I can put a document on the desktop. Is there a Quick Launch tutorial? I searched for How do use Quick Launch, but a screen popped up saying I don't have Windows 7

 

[Brink]

Hello Marianne,

Quick Launch is folder that is toolbar on your taskbar on your taskbar that you can add shortcuts of anything to.

You could add shortcuts into it's folder location in the blue Note box at the top of the tutorial to also have it display in Quick Launch on the taskbar.

You could also drag and drop items directly into Quick Launch on the taskbar to add them.

If you like, you could use the tutorial below to add Send to -> Quick Launch to make adding items to Quick Launch easier.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5086-quick-launch-add-send-context-menu-windows-8-a.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[winlinx]

I tried putting it in another folder but the same problem happens; disappears after a few reboots.

Quick launch disappears Solved - Windows 7 Support Forums

 

[Brink]

Hello winlinx,

Did you also try the .reg in my post below at the link your posted to see if that may help? You may need to restart the computer afterwards to apply.

Quick launch disappears Solved - Windows 7 Support Forums

 

[shmu]

can I remove the text "Quick Launch" from my task bar, and just have the icons? this text takes up a lot of space...

 

[Brink]

Hello shmu,

Yes, you sure can. Step 5 in the tutorial can help show you how to.

 

[shmu]

got it!

I should have noticed that step, thanks for your patience!

 

[Brink]

No worries shmu.

 

[JoeH]

Win8x1 update as of 12/16/13 broke Quicklaunch bar

The update this weekend made my quick launch bar dissappear. It had been working perfectly for many months. After following the instructions to put it back, it shows icons with text --- NOT the same. I can't see how to switch that back to show ONLY icons like it used to do. The bigger questions is WHY DID YOU MESS WITH IT, Microsoft? Do you really think you're going to decide and dictate how everyone must work?

Could someone PLEASE tell me how to get it back working normally, i.e. just icons at the left of the taskbar.

 

[JoeH]

I stumbled onto the right-click settings that let me turn off the text and the captions to get it back normally. I swear that option was not there an hour ago or I kept missing it. Oh well, it's back like I want it. Still am upset that m$ decided to screw it up with an update.

 

[Trevor Appleton]

Adding quick launch toolbar

I am using this:

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5069-quick-launch-add-taskbar-windows-8-a.html

to try and add the quick launch toolbar but right clicking at the bottom does no show toolbars?