Afterward upgrading to Windows 10 recently, I noticed that whenever I opened Explorer, it would always show me Quick Admission. I like the new Quick Access characteristic, but I preferred to take Explorer open up to This PC instead.

For me, being able to admission the different drives on the estimator and my network devices was far more important than accessing frequently used folders or recently opened files. It's a useful feature, but I don't mind having to click once to access information technology.

In this mail, I'll bear witness y'all how to change the default folder from Quick Access to This PC when opening Explorer. In addition, I'll also show yous a fox whereby you lot can prepare whatever binder to be the default binder when opening Explorer in Windows x.

Set Default Folder to This PC

To alter the setting, open Explorer, click on File and then click on Alter folder and search options.

change folder search options

In the dialog that pops upward, you should already exist on the General tab. At the very height, y'all'll see Open File Explorer to where you can select from This PC and Quick Access.

folder options windows 10

Just pick whichever folder you prefer and you're good to go! Now when you open up Explorer, you should see information technology open up to This PC selected instead of Quick Admission.

windows 10 this pc

If you lot need to do this on many machines in a corporate environment, yous'll be happy to know that there is a registry entry that controls this setting also. Only navigate to the post-obit key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

On the right hand side, look for a DWORD key named Launch To. ane means This PC and 2 ways Quick Access.

registry editor windows

Finally, permit's talk about how we can configure Explorer to open up upward to any folder as the default folder.

Set Any Folder as Default for Explorer

Since there really isn't any official style to exercise this, we have to kind of hack Windows to become it to practise what we want. I've tested it out and the process seems to piece of work simply fine. To become started, detect your folder and create a shortcut to the folder on your desktop.

create desktop shortcut

For example, if I wanted to use the Pictures folder as my default folder, I would correct-click on it, choose Send to and then click on Desktop (create shortcut). Next, we need to re-create that shortcut into a special location in Windows. Beginning, let'due south open Explorer and go to that special location. Only copy and paste the post-obit path into the address bar in another Explorer window:

%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar

Make sure to press Enter after you paste the path into Explorer. Depending on what else is pinned to your taskbar, yous might see shortcuts to several programs here, but you should ever see a File Explorer shortcut.

drag shortcut

Now go ahead and drag the shortcut that we but created from your desktop into the special folder you have open in Explorer. Now we accept to exercise ane terminal thing. Go alee and delete the File Explorer shortcut and rename the Pictures Shortcut to File Explorer. If you chose a different folder than Pictures, then modify whatever the proper noun of that shortcut is to File Explorer.

file explorer windows

That's about it! At present open File explorer from your taskbar and you should exist viewing the contents of whichever folder you chose to exist the default folder.

pictures folder windows

It'due south worth noting that this petty trick volition merely work when you click on the Explorer icon on your taskbar. If you open Explorer by double-clicking on This PC on the desktop or by clicking on Beginning and so File Explorer, you'll either run across This PC or Quick Admission, depending on which pick is chosen in the settings.

If you desire to disengage what nosotros merely did higher up, all yous have to practice is right-click on Explorer in the taskbar and choose Unpin from taskbar. After that, just elevate the This PC icon from your desktop and drop it onto the taskbar again. This will create a new Explorer shortcut and it'll work usually.

Pin Folders to Quick Admission

If you don't like any of the 2 options above, y'all practice have ane other choice in Windows 10. You could apply the new pinned folders feature that is associated with Quick Access. When yous open Explorer, you'll see a pin icon next to several folders under Quick Access.

pinned folders

The Desktop, Downloads, Documents, Pictures, This PC and Music folders are pinned by default in Windows ten. If y'all want to remove any of them, just correct-click and choose Unpin from Quick Access.

Still, if you want 1 click access to any binder on your computer, navigate to that binder, then right-click on Quick Access and choose Pivot current folder to Quick Admission.

pin folder quick access

As you lot can see, this is how I pinned the Program Files binder to my Quick Access section. Using this method, you don't have to resort to any hacks and you can besides speedily access whatsoever folder on your system with two clicks.

Lastly, you can besides get to that pinned folder quickly by simply right-clicking on the File Explorer icon in your taskbar and choosing your pinned folder, which volition show upward in the jumplist.

explorer jump list

Then in summary, if you want to change the default binder system-broad, you lot tin only pick betwixt This PC and Quick Access. If y'all utilise the second method involving the shortcut hack, then you lot take to use the shortcut from the taskbar.

Lastly, if you lot just need quick access to a folder, endeavour using the pin to Quick Access pick as that will also be arrangement-broad and volition remain in the left-hand side even as you browse through other folders. If yous take whatever questions, mail a comment. Savor!