ACCESS YOUR DESKTOP ICONS FROM YOUR TASKBAR

Posted by Kashif Iqbal

ACCESS YOUR DESKTOP ICONS FROM YOUR TASKBAR

Do you ever want to access your desktop, or shortcut icons on your desktop when your screen is cluttered with windows which you don't want to minimize?

A simple solution. Place a shortcut to your desktop atop your START Menu. Here's how:

1) Right click on your TASKBAR and choose PROPERTIES.
2) Select the START MENU PROGRAMS tab, then the ADVANCED button.
3) In the right panel, under the PROGRAMS folder, you will see any shortcuts you have already placed atop your START menu. Right click here in the white space here and choose NEW, then SHORTCUT.

4. In the command line for your shortcut, type c:\windows\desktop (If your Windows directory has another name, substitute that name for windows).

5. Click NEXT. Then in the name box, name your shortcut Desktop.

6. Click the FINISH button.

7. Close the Explorer window, then click ok in TASKBAR PROPERTIES.

8. Now, open START on your taskbar. VOILA! Your desktop folder icon should be visible. Click it to open your desktop folder.
Success!
You will now be able to view and access your desktop shortcut icons (not non-shortcut icons). If you want ALL desktop icons to be visible (Recycle Bin, My Computer etc.), you will need to place shortcuts to these other icons on your desktop.
Hint:
If you normally hide your taskbar, so that it is not always on top of other windows, you can access it at any time from any program by pressing and holding control, then pressing escape (the ESC key at top left of your keyboard). You may then quickly choose your desktop folder and access desktop icons as well as any other programs accessible via your taskbar and programs menu.
OPEN EXPLORER RATHER THAN MY COMPUTER TO VIEW FILES
(This is a great tip!! One of the most useful customizations...)

Have you created drive icons for your hard drives and floppy drives on your desktop

If so, you may wish that they opened in the two-paned Explorer view, rather than in My Computer.
To change the default view to Explorer:

1) Open Explorer (from Start, Programs, Explorer, or if you have created it, from the Explorer icon on your desktop).

2) Choose the View, Options menu.

3) Select the File Types tab.

4). Under registered file types, double click on FOLDER.

5) From the list of actions, select explore.

6) Click on the SET DEFAULT button at bottom right!

Now when you double click on a folder or open a drive icon shortcut Explorer will open instead of My Computer.

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