Windows Tip: Add any shortcut to Computer

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“My Computer” in Windows, (“Computer” in Windows 7, and “This PC” in Windows 8 and beyond) shows you your Disk Drives (HDDs, and SSDs), Removable Drives (optical drives, flash drives, etc), and Network Connections by default. You can easily add more shortcuts in My Computer easily, be it an application or a folder or anything else. There are numerous applications made solely for this purpose but why use a 3rd party app when you can do it yourself. You can add your frequently accessed folder(s) or favorite application(s) for easy access.

Add shortcuts to Computer window in Windows

Enter the following address in the address bar of File Explorer or in the Run dialog box (Windows key+R) and hit Enter.

%appdata%\microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts

Run
Now, the little known but useful Network Shortcuts folder should open. In this folder, there might be some shortcuts present already. This is where Windows looks for any additional shortcuts to display in Computer Window. Now just add any shortcut in this folder and it would appear in Computer Window.Network Shortcuts
It could be any file, folder, or application. Once done, open up Computer to see your shortcuts there.Computer

Tips

You can add some really useful shortcuts in Computer for easy access. Here are some of them and their locations which are hard to find otherwise.

Search
  • Right click on empty space, select New => Shortcut.
  • Enter the following for the path:
    C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Search.lnk
Control Panel
  • Right click on empty space, select New => Shortcut.
  • Enter the following for the path:
    %windir%\system32\control.exe
Recycle Bin
  • Right click on empty space, select New => Shortcut.
  • Enter the following for the path:
    %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe shell:RecycleBinFolder
    and type Recycle bin or trash in Name field.
  • Now, change it’s icon by Right clicking on the shortcut and selecting Properties.
    • Click the Change Icon button and enter the following path: %SystemRoot%\system32\imageres.dll and select the Recycle Bin icon and hit OK.

Or simply drag it from the Desktop.
Shutdown
  • Right click on empty space, select New => Shortcut.
  • Enter the following for the path: Shutdown.exe -s -t 00
    and name it Shutdown or whatever you want.
Anything from Control Panel If you want to add some specific setting’s shortcut from Control Panel, just open Control Panel and select and drag the desired option to create it’s shortcut.

That’s it! That is really all there is to it. Have some tips to share or doubts to clear? Shoot them in the comments section below!  :-)

 

We are influencers and brand affiliates.  This post contains affiliate links, most which go to Amazon and are Geo-Affiliate links to nearest Amazon store.