Windows 10: Cannot pin Desktop to Quick Access folder in Explorer

Hi, opened up the file explorer, quick access pinning works fine for all other folders, but I cannot pin the Desktop folder in there.

It shows up in the folders pane on the left, (I have to scroll a way up to find it..) but using the 'pin to quick access' button in the Home tab doesn't pin it, neither does right clicking the Desktop in the folders pane and selecting the same from the context menu.

Can anyone help? Cheers.

:)

 

Can't unpin FTP location from Quick Access

I've pinned an FTP location to the Quick Access menu in Windows 10 Explorer, but now cannot unpin it.

To replicate:

1. Browse to an FTP location in Windows Explorer

2. Right-click "Quick Access"

3. Select "Pin current folder to Quick access"

4. Right-click the newly pinned folder

You should see that there is no option to unpin the folder. The context menu only offers the (greyed out) option to "Expand".

Notably, this pin only appears in Explorer and not in the jump lists (for example by right-clicking Explorer from the task bar).

How do I remove this pin?

 

Can you pin a file (not folder) to the "Quick Access" in Windows Explorer - in Windows 10

I just updated to Windows 10 and would like to know if you can you pin a file to Quick access in Windows 10? I don't mean pinning to the application shortcut on the taskbar or pinning to the taskbar, I mean pinning a file to Quick access in File Explorer.

I am able to "pin to quick access" folders but not files. I have a few files I access a lot and would like to have then in Quick Access (I don't want short cuts on my desktop).

 

Try dragging it to Quick Access, or
navigate to the Desktop Folder itself, then right click on Quick Access and choose 'Pin current folder to Quick Access'.

 

You need to see the full path to the desktop folder to be able to pin it.

Start at 'This PC' and find the C:\Users\yourname\ folder. You will see your Desktop folder in there. You can right-click on that one and pin it to Quick access.

 

I forgot to mention that.. It's not there. When I navigate through the usual route it doesn't exist under users\myname\ it's just not there.. But it does exist in the file explorer sidebar..

Weird huh? Oh 2nd thing I tried was dragging it, nope, it won't drag either..

 

Well, you obviously do have a desktop somewhere, you just don't know where! Windows allows you to move your desktop, you probably did that some time ago and forgot about it.
Move Location of Desktop Folder in Windows 10

To find its full path, create a New folder on the desktop, then double-click on it to open it in File Explorer. You should see this...





Now click on the empty space in the address bar to the right of the name 'New folder'. The address bar should now show the full path. When you know where to look for it you should be able to pin it to Quick access.





I'm curious as to where you actually put your desktop *Smile

 

I already did this too, it's telling me it's where yours tells you yours is, right on the desktop! lol I have a feeling this is due to a stardock creation I applied a while back called fences.. I like the application but have a feeling it may be the source of the problem. I'll mail them and ask if it's a feature or a bug.. *Sad

Meanwhile thanks for the help, I hoped it was easily fixable *Smile

 

Now I just discovered something interesting...





Notice 2 'Download' folders one with the 'Desktop' Icon...? Has all my desktop folders in it.. I think this is 'Fences' it has re-named my Desktop folder.. Going to uninstall it and see what happens I think..

 

You could always go to the Stardock User Forum at Stardock - Fences
and re-raise this question there, if the answers here are less than conclusive. It's a pretty active group, and they have some people monitoring those forums (including the occasional developer) who know those products inside out and backwards. Just a thought, and no negative reflection on the excellent helpers laboring here at TenForums (including yours truly).
HTH,
--Ed--

 

To see where it is (and it's quite possible for you to relocate it) try
Windows key + R, shell:desktop

File explorer should display the folder containing your desktop.
You could then right click any file or folder, Properties, and hopefully the path will be shown.

 

Hello Soxmis, *Smile

It appears that something went wrong with your "Downloads" and/or "Desktop" folders when trying to previously move them.

If you like, you might see if using the .reg file download in steps 4 and 6 in Option Two of the tutorial below may restore the default location for these folders and fix this for you.

*Arrow Restore Default Location of Personal Folders in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

 

Thanks for all your helpful replies.. Brink, I tried the two batch files and ran them but unfortunately they changed little apart from sticking an extra 'downloads ' folder into my File explorer shown below:





Notice that the extra Download icon has the Desktop icon..

Clicking on it actually brings up the Desktop contents, but I cannot rename the folder to 'Desktop' , there is also a folder in the left pane that is labelled 'Desktop' at the bottom. this also opens to my Desktop contents but will NOT pin into the quick access of File explorer. Also, peculiarly, right clicking that Desktop icon and selecting 'Properties' produces this:




Now why that happens I have no idea, but properties takes me straight to the background settings in the 'All Settings menu..'

So I ran the DISM as thus:




No problems found. *Sad

I haven't uninstalled Stardock's 'Fences' yet, as I'm sure this problem has occured perhaps in the last week or so and I've been using 'Fences' for some months now without a problem.

Windows is functioning well otherwise with no problems or glitches and apart from these file explorer and quick access and Desktop identity problem in File explorer it's running ok. But I'd like to iron them out as there is obviously some software glitch screwing it up somewhere.

Still hoping you can help, will try most stuff.

Thanks again people.

 

Do you have a System Restore point you could use, created before this started happening?

Do you use disk imaging routinely as we recommend? (Restoring a disk image created before this started happening could be another option- if you have any...).

 

Yes I do, but... It's a last resort for me and I'd really prefer to fix what small part is wrong before cracking a nut with a sledgehammer. *Smile I haven't ruled it out of course, but I have patience and tend to prefer to repair rather than overwrite..