Vista: Add Shortcuts to Favorite Links Sidebar in Explorer

Tagged: Microsoft Vista

Now in vista explorer, a listing of Favorite Links is kept in the left sidebar. You can edit, delete, or add to these Favorite Links very easily.

The Favorite Links is a new addition to the explorer window. This collection of frequently visited places lives in a left side bar. By default it contains the following Favorite Links: Documents, Pictures, Music, Recently Changed, and Searches. Manipulating these shortcuts is very easy.

Simple enough, you can drag and drop shortcuts directly into this area. Here’s how to add links from the Start menu into your Favorite Links area:

1. Click the Start Circle (in the left lower corner)

2. Click Computer and explorer will open to your computer information. You should be able to see the Favorite Links in the left sidebar or column.

3. Click the Start Circle again

4. Drag and Drop any icon from the start menu into the Favorite Links area of Explorer

I usually drag and drop the Network icon from the Start Menu into the Favorite Links area. Control Panel would be another good one to think about adding.

This Favorite Links Sidebar in Explorer is really just a folder resting in your computer. You can navigate to this folder by right clicking in an unused area in the Favorite Links sidebar and selecting Open Folder from the context menu. It will typically be found here:

C:\Users\username\Links
(where username is your actual username)

From this folder you can easily add, delete, or edit your Favorite Links in explorer.

Here I’ll add a command prompt shortcut to the Favorite Links Sidebar:

1. Navigate to your Links folder as directed above
2. Right click in explorer and select New -> Shortcut
3. For location of the item type: cmd.exe
4. Click Next
5. Name the Shortcut (example: Command Prompt)
6. Click Finish