Solved Taskbar File Explorer open to C:\ possible?

jseeley · Sep 11, 2025

ZedRM said:
In looking for this very solution I found this thread. I also found the answer! There is a way to do this, but it's not at all obvious.
Open the properties to the shortcut(create one first) and in the "Target" section enter the following;

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,C:

Click Ok and your done! Simple and easy. Wish I had known about this years ago.
I know this is an old thread, but I found it and I'm sure many others have too.
It'll be nice for people in future to have a solution to find!

View attachment 133840

BTW, yes I saw this, but the information wasn't complete. This did help me find the final answer though.

Also looking for the same. This method and atinfo's method work good, but once the shortcut is created and in the taskbar, it indeed opens the contents of Local Disk C, but it opens an additional File Explorer icon in the taskbar on the far right which becomes the live shortcut to minimize/maximize. I pinned that icon to the taskbar thinking I can remove the first one I just added, but that opens My PC.

Is there any way to not show another icon? This kind of reminds me of trying to put portable application shortcuts in the taskbar, where you get a duplicate icon in the taskbar when launched. Thanks.

JACKSPRATNYC · Sep 12, 2025

jseeley said:
Is there any way to not show another icon? This kind of reminds me of trying to put portable application shortcuts in the taskbar, where you get a duplicate icon in the taskbar when launched. Thanks.

Have you tried unpinning the original File Explorer icon? BTW, I use StartAllBAck which allows for more customization of the interface.

jseeley · Sep 12, 2025

JACKSPRATNYC said:
Have you tried unpinning the original File Explorer icon? BTW, I use StartAllBAck which allows for more customization of the interface.

Thanks. Yes. I do use StartAllBack with the Windows10 Taskbar and system tray menus. (Hate the Win11 calendar, clock, and busy assembly of notification panels)

Yes. I did remove the original Explorer icon. I don't see anything in StartAllBack to do this.

dacrone · Sep 12, 2025

multiple options, you can use an autohotkey script compliled to anj exe to do whatever you want. if you want that let me know and i'll upload one.
OR you can just make a shortcut to C: and make a .bat file to open that and pin that to your taskbar... OR you can use windhawk (portable mode is an option) and change the default path for file explorer to launch to via this mod:

jseeley · Sep 12, 2025

dacrone said:
multiple options, you can use an autohotkey script compliled to anj exe to do whatever you want. if you want that let me know and i'll upload one.
OR you can just make a shortcut to C: and make a .bat file to open that and pin that to your taskbar... OR you can use windhawk (portable mode is an option) and change the default path for file explorer to launch to via this mod:
View attachment 145134

Thanks. This stuff is over my head. lol. I would use the most transparent method. It's not that big of a deal if I have to see black cmd windows flashing on my screen.

dacrone · Sep 12, 2025

attached are 3. a .bat, a .ps1 and a .ahk (compiled to an exe)

1) the batch - copy the .ico and the .bat files to C:\ and place the shortcut where ever you want. when launched, a command window will flash briefly and C:\ will be launched.

2) the ps1 - copy the .ico and the .ps1 files to C:\ and place the shortcut where ever you want. when launched, NO command window will flash and C:\ will be launched.

3) the .ahk (exe) - place where ever you want. windows defender may flag it as a threat because its a compiled .exe. your call on whether you want to use it or not. the only code in the ahk script is:

Code:

run, Explorer.exe C:\

jseeley · Sep 12, 2025

Thanks. I Pinned to Taskbar the FileExplorerAHK.exe but when I open the explorer to the contents of Local Disk C, it still opens another Explorer Icon in the taskbar. That was my original question. Greatly appreciated.

EDIT: Same with the PS1. Opens another/second File Explorer Icon in the taskbar which then becomes the live Icon from which I can minimize/hide the window. If I click on the shortcut to the PS1, it just opens another window

JACKSPRATNYC · Sep 12, 2025

jseeley said:
Yes. I did remove the original Explorer icon. I don't see anything in StartAllBack to do this.

I got my File Explorer icon to open to the root drive by right-clicking the desktop & selecting new/shortcut/browse (location of root drive)\next (type name of drive shorcut)\finish. Since you use StartAllBack, Right-click & unlock the taskbar. This allows you to get the 'Toolbars' option back. 1. Click on Toolbars. 2. New Toolbar. 3. Paste the following: %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch. This allows you to customize icons on your new "Quick Launch" toolbar. Right-click on the now showing "Quick Launch" option. Uncheck "Show Text" & "Show Title".

dacrone · Sep 12, 2025

only option to bypass that (that i can think of at the moment would be to
1) use windhawk as i mentioned

any custom shortcuts will still show a second FE icon on the taskbar. you can do what @JACKSPRATNYC stated, but that will not change the actual launch point of explorer.exe either.

jseeley · Sep 12, 2025

Thank you. Not a big deal. Really appreciate your time.

JACKSPRATNYC · Sep 12, 2025

dacrone said:
any custom shortcuts will still show a second FE icon on the taskbar. you can do what @JACKSPRATNYC stated, but that will not change the actual launch point of explorer.exe either.

Hi Dacrone. I have many shortcuts on my taskbar. The 3 major shortcuts are for: File Explorer. Control Panel. System. I created a custom shortcut icon for File Explorer (Looks like the old windows Explorer icon). which takes me directly to the C:\ root.

dacrone · Sep 12, 2025

yes, i'm tracking. but launch explorer.exe in any manner and it will not be your custom path. it will still launch to whatever is set in folder options.

dacrone · Sep 12, 2025

jseeley said:
Thank you. Not a big deal. Really appreciate your time.

heres a quick ahk exe that will run in the tray. it will intercept all new instances of file explorer and redirect to C:. new tabs can still launch to whatever, but clicking the default explorer.exe or running Win+E hotkey will launch to C:\

jseeley · Sep 12, 2025

dacrone said:
heres a quick ahk exe that will run in the tray. it will intercept all new instances of file explorer and redirect to C:. new tabs can still launch to whatever, but clicking the default explorer.exe or running Win+E hotkey will launch to C:\

Thanks so much. I tried this. It's nice experimenting, but the way it is now with an additional WE icons showing isn't that big of a deal. If I had more drives or partitions, I would just open it to My PC, but now I only have Local Disk C, so what good is opening windows explorer to My PC when there's only one drive in there. If I insert USB drives or use externals, I just access them from the navigation pane.

dacrone · Sep 12, 2025

? it doesnt open another icon. it doesnt pin to your taskbar at all. it just runs in the system tray by your clock. when you launch file explorer it intercepts it and redirects it to C:\

... just place the .exe in "Shell:startup" and it'll run at logon

jseeley · Sep 12, 2025

dacrone said:
? it doesnt open another icon. it doesnt pin to your taskbar at all. it just runs in the system tray by your clock. when you launch file explorer it intercepts it and redirects it to C:\

... just place the .exe in "Shell:startup" and it'll run at logon

Yes. That's what I did. But, I didn't use it correctly. NOW it works fine. It works with the REGULAR Windows Explorer taskbar icon. I was trying it with the special shortcut with Explorer C:\ which did not work and continually brought up the 2nd icon. Thanks. This works great!

jseeley · Sep 12, 2025

I'm loving this .exe. Is there a reason I got this: Got a few times. I don't know when it pops up because I find it behind the explorer. Thanks!

dacrone · Sep 12, 2025

here is a more well written revision. use this one. it ONLY intercepts fresh instances of Explorer that are launched to the starting folder. so if you launch File Explorer via Win+E or launching explorer.exe, it will redirect to C:
if you open a direct folder (such as right clicking something and "open file location" or a custom folder on you desktop) it will not redirect to C: (will not intercept)

jseeley · Sep 12, 2025

dacrone said:
here is a more well written revision. use this one. it ONLY intercepts fresh instances of Explorer that are launched to the starting folder. so if you launch File Explorer via Win+E or launching explorer.exe, it will redirect to C:
if you open a direct folder (such as right clicking something and "open file location" or a custom folder on you desktop) it will not redirect to C: (will not intercept)

OK. Thanks again. I'll give it a try.

dacrone · Sep 12, 2025

jseeley said:
OK. Thanks again. I'll give it a try.

got on a kick now lol. heres a more updated on. runs in tray. right click on tray icon and you can choose desired launch point for File Explorer. i'll add an option to change new tabs soon too.

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