Anyone know how to add Quick Launch to the taskbar in Windows 11?

thewizardoz · Aug 31, 2021

Does anyone know how to add Quick Launch to the taskbar in Windows 11
please?

Thanks.

Sol 3 · Aug 31, 2021

Gonna keep an eye on this thread because I would like to know as well

Brink · Aug 31, 2021

Hello, :)

If you like, you could pin the %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch folder to the taskbar using option 8 in the tutorial below.

It's not the same, but at least you can quickly open the folder.

Pin to Taskbar an App, Drive, File, Folder, or Site in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to pin an app, drive, file, folder, or site to the taskbar for your account in Windows 11. The taskbar in Windows 11 shows the Start menu, Search, Task View, Widgets, Chat, File Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Store buttons (icons) aligned to the center...

www.elevenforum.com

Windveil · Oct 10, 2021

I'm interested in this as well.

hdmi · Oct 12, 2021

See my post here:

Is there currently any way to show the clock on all monitors?

Nice.. been looking for something like that.

www.elevenforum.com

Restoring the Taskbar from Windows 10 will bring back the ability to add Toolbars to the Taskbar, after which you will be able to link a Toolbar to the folder that @Brink mentioned and drag the Toolbar to the area between the Task View icon and the pinned apps area of the Taskbar:

Roban · Oct 12, 2021

A little app called SystemTrayMenu.

Drybonz · Oct 13, 2021

How would a quickstart menu be different from just pinning icons to the taskbar?

hdmi · Oct 14, 2021

Drybonz said:
How would a quickstart menu be different from just pinning icons to the taskbar?

On Windows 7 and later, the Quick Start (Quick Launch) is actually a Toolbar that is essentially the same as all the other Toolbars (like the one that I have in the middle of my Taskbar, see the pic I posted in my previous reply). It differs only by the fact that it is positioned to the opposite side of the 'pinned' area so it is next to the Start button (or next to Search and/or Task View). Putting shortcuts on a Toolbar gives you the ability to stay organized when it comes to what item goes where on your Taskbar, as there can be multiple Toolbars, and they can also be placed in an area where they don't convolute the 'pinned' area or be individually disabled temporarily if needed, which can help people to stay focussed better. The contents of each Toolbar matches a folder tree. Users can edit/manage the contents of each folder tree, simply by using File Explorer to navigate through them, and, each (optional) subfolder's contents shows up on the Toolbar as a popup menu (cascade style). Another nice benefit is that the contents of folder trees can be automated via scripts and/or via Power Automate Desktop, for example. By contrast, the 'pinned' area of the Taskbar doesn't even let you add a separator or spacer to keep your pinned shortcuts away from your opened apps or anything like that so, it looks and feels like icon chaos, which, if I may be so bold to say so Sir, it most certainly is.

On a side note, it also is possible to make the (classic) Taskbar height smaller:

ljimmymx · Oct 21, 2021

simple... Right click the shortcut application (that you want to pin to task bar) then click > shows more options > Pin to taskbar

thats it.

RogerOver · Oct 21, 2021

I am using "Freelaunchbar". It is based on the QuickLaunchBar (InternetExplorer; see Brink). But you need to install "Explorer Patcher" first ! (Download the dxgi.dll, put it into "Windows" and restart Explorer. Then rightclick the Start button, choose "Properties" (= new entry which wasn't there before) and chose your options.

But back to Freelaunchbar (edit: after install, rightclick on a free space in the tTskbar and choose "FreeLaunchbar"): in the picture below you can see what it does: you see my shortcuts to "astronomy" (my hobby). But every icon you can see in the taskbar at the bottom of the picture is a (sort of) folder. You can put as many shortcuts as you want into every ""folder"".

[Btw: I installed the well known "OpenShell" (also with Explorer Patcher) to replace the WIN 11 Startmenu (you can switch between both) which does the same thing. You can put the more "system-orientated" shortcuts into the Startmenu and the more "private life" orientated shortcuts into the Taskbar).

Much better than the WIN 11 Taskbar and Startmenu !

hdmi · Oct 21, 2021

RogerOver said:
I am using "Freelaunchbar". It is based on the QuickLaunchBar (InternetExplorer; see Brink). But you need to install "Explorer Patcher" first ! (Download the dxgi.dll, put it into "Windows" and restart Explorer. Then rightclick the Start button, choose "Properties" (= new entry which wasn't there before) and chose your options.

But back to Freelaunchbar (edit: after install, rightclick on a free space in the tTskbar and choose "FreeLaunchbar"): in the picture below you can see what it does: you see my shortcuts to "astronomy" (my hobby). But every icon you can see in the taskbar at the bottom of the picture is a (sort of) folder. You can put as many shortcuts as you want into every ""folder"".

[Btw: I installed the well known "OpenShell" (also with Explorer Patcher) to replace the WIN 11 Startmenu (you can switch between both) which does the same thing. You can put the more "system-orientated" shortcuts into the Startmenu and the more "private life" orientated shortcuts into the Taskbar).

Much better than the WIN 11 Taskbar and Startmenu !

One thing to remember when using ExplorerPatcher together with Open-Shell, the right-click menu that lets you choose Properties to access ExplorerPatcher's settings will be replaced by default with another menu to access Open-Shell settings whereas Shift + right-click on the Start button will bring up the original menu. (This behavior can optionally be changed in Open-Shell settings, on the Controls tab.)

RogerOver · Oct 21, 2021

hdmi said:
One thing to remember

Aaaaahhhh

!

Thanks for this !

Anixx · Oct 21, 2021

Install ExplorerPatcher and you can pin Quick Launch just like in Windows 10/8/7/6/5

woldsweather · Oct 31, 2021

Sol 3 said:
Gonna keep an eye on this thread because I would like to know as well

Me too.

RogerOver · Oct 31, 2021

On a German forum they said yesterday that Microsoft will bring back the possibilty to "drag and drop" to the taskbar after Christmas. ... ... ... ...
For insiders !

Windows 11 Drag & Drop in die Taskleiste kommt nach den Weihnachtsferien - Deskmodder.de

But nevertheless. ... We won !

Digerati · Oct 31, 2021

RogerOver said:
But nevertheless. ... We won !

Umm, no you didn't.

The "Taskbar" is a totally different thing than the Quick Launch "toolbar".

As seen below, this is my "Taskbar" that has been expanded up to double height. This allows for the 3-line clock/calendar. But it also allows me to put the Quick Launch "Toolbar" on the bottom row and the Address "Toolbar" on the top row.

None of that is possible now.

RogerOver · Oct 31, 2021

Hi Digerati,

I dare to pretend (and I continue to do so) that it's the same !

(I am observing the whole thing since Windows 98).

Good luck

Edit: And the sucess is mostly or exclusively due to ... Valentine :money:

Digerati · Oct 31, 2021

RogerOver said:
I dare to pretend (and I continue to do so) that it's the same !

Sorry, but I do not understand what you are saying here. Do you not understand the image I posted? The Quick Launch "toolbar" is on my "Taskbar".

Are you saying (pretending) that the Taskbar and toolbars are the same? If so, I assure you they are not. If you have a W10 machine, right click on the Taskbar and you will see options to add toolbars to it. Google.

RogerOver said:
(I am observing the whole thing since Windows 98).

I will not hold your obvious youthful lack of experience against you! :wink:

hdmi · Nov 1, 2021

Digerati said:
Sorry, but I do not understand what you are saying here.

Here's my taskbar with the address bar positioned above a taskbar toolbar:

I am running Windows 11, and, if you still can't figure it out, then look inside my address bar. :ROFLMAO:

Anixx · Nov 1, 2021

Digerati said:
Umm, no you didn't.

The "Taskbar" is a totally different thing than the Quick Launch "toolbar".

As seen below, this is my "Taskbar" that has been expanded up to double height. This allows for the 3-line clock/calendar. But it also allows me to put the Quick Launch "Toolbar" on the bottom row and the Address "Toolbar" on the top row.

None of that is possible now.

View attachment 12032

Quite possible, I think.

Anyone know how to add Quick Launch to the taskbar in Windows 11?

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