No shortcuts appear in Navigation pane of Windows 10 like it did in older versions of Windows. - Solved!

ChatGPT said:

Sure. The solution you've posted is giving a detailed instruction on how to manage your Favorites in the File Explorer Home on Windows 11. Here's what each option does:

1. **Option One: Add to Favorites in File Explorer Home for Current User**
This option shows you how to add specific files to your Favorites section in File Explorer Home. You simply select the files you want to add, right-click on them, and select 'Add to Favorites'.

2. **Option Two: Remove from Favorites in File Explorer Home for Current User**
Just like the first option, this option quite simply shows you how to remove files from your Favorites. You open File Explorer Home, select the files under Favorites you want to remove, right-click on them, and select 'Remove from Favorites'.

3. **Option Three: Hide or Show Favorites in File Explorer Home for All Users using REG file**
This option provides instructions for an administrator to hide or show the Favorites section in File Explorer for all users on a machine using a .reg file. Depending on whether you want to hide or show Favorites, you download and merge the appropriate .reg file. This modifies your Windows Registry settings, so should be done with caution.

4. **Option Four: Clear and Reset Favorites in File Explorer Home for Current User in Command Prompt**
This option details how to clear and reset your Favorites in File Explorer Home using the Command Prompt. You open the Command Prompt (via the Windows Terminal), enter a specific command, and all Favorites are removed, resetting the section.

5. **Option Five: Clear and Reset Favorites in File Explorer Home for Current User in File Explorer**
Similar to Option Four, but instead this uses File Explorer to clear and reset Favorites.

This is a flexible and comprehensive set of options, allowing you to easily modify what appears in your Favorites, whether to have the Favorites section accessible to all users, and how to reset it if necessary.

Again, Option three requires administrator's privileges and involves manipulation of Windows Registry, which should be done with care. Always backup your Registry before making any changes as incorrect changes can cause system instability.

Click to expand...

ChatGPT said:

Sure. If you want to add items to your Favorites in File Explorer Home, follow these steps:

1. In File Explorer, locate the file (or files) that you want to add to Favorites.

2. Select one or more files you want to add. You can hold the 'Ctrl' button on your keyboard and click the files to select more than one file.

3. Once you have selected the files, right-click on them.

4. In the context menu that appears, click/tap on 'Add to Favorites'.

That's it! These files should now appear in the Favorites section in File Explorer Home. Whenever you need quick access to these files, you can find them easily in the Favorites section.

Click to expand...

ChatGPT said:

Sure. If you want to add items to your Favorites in File Explorer Home, follow these steps:

1. In File Explorer, locate the file (or files) that you want to add to Favorites.

2. Select one or more files you want to add. You can hold the 'Ctrl' button on your keyboard and click the files to select more than one file.

3. Once you have selected the files, right-click on them.

4. In the context menu that appears, click/tap on 'Add to Favorites'.

That's it! These files should now appear in the Favorites section in File Explorer Home. Whenever you need quick access to these files, you can find them easily in the Favorites section.

Click to expand...

Option 1: Create a Custom Location in the Navigation Pane via Registry Edits​

1. Open the Registry Editor:
   • Press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to the ShellFolder Key:
   • Go to:
     
     Code:

      HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID

   • Right-click anywhere in the left panel and select New > Key.
   • Give the new key a custom Globally Unique Identifier (GUID)—for example:
     
     Code:

      {F8287D7C-10FF-43A9-B1A8-74AB5C6A33CF}

3. Edit Properties for Your New Key:
   • With your newly created key selected, add the following subkeys:
     • DefaultIcon: This sets a custom icon for your location.
     • InProcServer32: Set its default value to C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll (default Windows shell behavior).
4. Update the Navigation Pane Identifier:
   • Add a ShellFolder key under your custom GUID:
     • Modify its permissions by right-clicking and selecting Permissions, changing ownership to your user account. Then assign full control.
     • Add a new DWORD value called Attributes and set it to a0100000 (this ensures it shows in the Navigation Pane).
5. Point to a Folder:
   • Add the absolute path of your desired folder to the key's Default value or a LocalServer32 value, depending on your use case.
6. Restart Explorer:
   • Save your changes, then restart File Explorer (Win + X > Command Prompt and run taskkill /f /im explorer.exe, then explorer.exe).

Option 2: Use a Third-Party Tool​

Option 3: Pin to Quick Access​

1. Drag and drop your folder or shortcut into the Quick Access section.
2. While not a real custom section, this still ensures your location stays prominent in the Navigation Pane without complex edits.