How to Add or Remove Favorites from Quick Access in Windows 10 

Managing workflows can be demanding, especially when switching between numerous files and folders simultaneously. With Quick Access on File Explorer, Windows provides shortcuts to recently and frequently used folders, so you won’t have to locate files manually every time. Learning how to add or remove favorites from Quick Access in Windows 10 allows you to customize workflows for greater efficiency.

This guide will explain how to add or remove Quick Access favorites on Windows 10, allowing you a quick path to your files every time you work.

What is Quick Access?

Quick Access is a Windows File Explorer (Win + E) feature that displays folders you regularly access, enabling you to quickly open your files. Utilizing it will streamline your workflows and prevent instances where you have to explore your hard drive manually.

With Windows 10, you can add favorites to Quick Access so that you can open critical files sooner. It lets you create a single-click path to your most used files and it makes navigation on File Explorer easy. Moreover, you can also remove unnecessary folders you no longer need, decluttering the interface.

How to add or remove favorites in Quick Access

1 . Adding a folder to Quick Access

• Navigate to the folder you want to pin in File Explorer. If the folder is on your desktop, hover your mouse over it.
• Right-click on the folder name and select Pin to Quick Access.
• The folder will now appear under Quick Access in the navigation pane.

2 . Removing a folder from Quick Access

• Open File Explorer (Win + E) and head to the Quick Access navigation pane.
• Right-click your chosen folder listed under Quick Access.
• Select Unpin from Quick Access to remove it.
• The folder will no longer be present in the Quick Access section.

3 . Clearing all recent and frequent folders from Quick Access Via File Explorer

• Open File Explorer (Win + E).
• Click on the ellipsis (three dots) in the toolbar on the top right next to the Filter option.
• From the dropdown menu, select Options, opening the Folder Options window.
• On the General tab, go to the Privacy section.
• The Clear File Explorer History button is on the bottom right of the four checkboxes. Click Clear to execute.

4 . Clearing all recent and frequent folders from Quick Access with Command Prompt

• Search for “cmd” in the Windows search bar and open an elevated command prompt.
• Enter this command:

del /f /s /q /a

“%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations\f01b4d95cf55d32a.automaticDestinations-ms”

• When you’re finished, close Command Prompt.

Troubleshooting and common issues with Quick Access Favorites

Folders not appearing after pinning to Quick Access

1. If the pinned folder is not appearing, try repinning the folder.
2. Restarting File Explorer can solve the issue.
   • Press CTRL + Shift + ESC to open Task Manager.
   • Find Windows Explorer on the list. You can also look for it using the search bar at the top of the window.
   • Right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart.
   • The program will restart, and your pinned folders should now appear.
3. Restart your computer to refresh File Explorer.

Quick Access is not showing pinned folders

Quick Access might be restricted in your system. To check and enable it, you can do the following:

1. Open File Explorer (Win + E).
2. Click the three dots in the top-right corner and select Options, opening the Folder Options window.
3. Under the Privacy section, check the Show recently used files in Quick Access” and “Show frequently used folders in Quick Access.
4. Click OK to apply the changes.

Cannot remove a folder from Quick Access

If you’re unable to remove a folder from Quick Access or if it continues to appear, follow these steps:

1. Open File Explorer (Win + E).
2. Click the three dots in the top-right corner and select Options.
3. On the Folder Options window, go to General.
4. Under the Privacy section, uncheck these options.
   • Show recently used files in Quick Access
   • Show frequently used folders in Quick Access
5. Click Apply, then press the Clear button next to Clear File Explorer History. This will reset Quick Access and remove the folder.
6. You may re-enable the options if you want, then click OK.

How do I reset Quick Access to the default settings?

If something goes wrong while you’re adding or removing favorites from Quick Access in Windows 10, or if you simply want to start over, you can restore Quick Access’ default settings. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open File Explorer (Win + E)
2. Click on the ellipsis (three dots) in the toolbar on the top right. It is located next to the Filter options.
3. From the dropdown menu, select Options, opening the Folder Options window.
4. On the General tab, click Restore Defaults.

Can I disable Quick Access altogether?

Yes, there are several ways to disable Quick Access.

Disable using File Explorer

Performing these steps will prevent Quick Access from showing recent and frequently used files and folders.

1. Open File Explorer (Win + E).
2. Click on the ellipsis (three dots) in the toolbar on the top right and select Options.
3. From the Folder Options window, go to the General tab and uncheck both of these options:
   • Show recently used files
   • Show frequently used folders
4. Click Clear to remove any existing data from Quick Access.
5. Finally, select OK to finalize the changes.

How to Disable Quick Access from the Navigation Pane

Here’s a step-by-step process if you’d like Quick Access to disappear from the Navigation Pane.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter to open Group Policy Editor. (Note: This is not available in Windows Home editions.)
2. Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.
3. Locate and double-click “Do not use the search-based method when resolving shell shortcuts.”
4. Set it to Enabled, then click OK.
5. After this, find “Do not show quick access in the navigation pane” and double-click it.
6. Set this to Enabled, and click OK. Restart your computer to see the changes.

Note that this requires administrator privileges; if you’re a regular user, you won’t be able to use this process.

Quick Access on Windows 10: Find your files faster

You can significantly improve your overall workflow by customizing Quick Access, giving you instant access to your most-used folders. Whether you’re pinning important folders, removing unnecessary shortcuts, or resetting Quick Access to its default settings, the above mentioned steps will make your file management experience smooth.