Quick Access in Windows 10 – Tutorial

Quick Access in Windows 10: Video Lesson

            This video lesson, titled “Quick Access in Windows 10,” shows you how to use Quick access in Windows 10 in File Explorer. This video lesson is from our complete Windows 10 training, titled “Mastering Windows Made Easy v.10.”

Quick Access in Windows 10: Overview

            Quick access in Windows 10 is a new view for the File Explorer window. The “Quick access” view, shown at the top of the Navigation pane, is the new default view of File Explorer when it is initially opened. For users who are upgrading from Windows 8.1 or 8 and who choose to keep their old files, you will find your old favorites that used to be pinned under the “Favorites” folder within File Explorer are now shown within the “Quick access” view.

            Quick access in Windows 10 shows your most frequently opened folders in a group at the top of the right pane, followed by a group of your recently opened files below it. You can double-click any of the folders shown in the “Frequent folders” group to open it and display its contents within the right pane of the File Explorer window. You can also double-click any file shown in the “Recent files” group in the right pane of the Quick access view to open the file.

            If you would prefer to display the “This PC” folder versus the “Quick access” view when opening File Explorer, open the File Explorer window and select the “Options” button within the “View” tab of the Ribbon to open the “General” tab within the “Folder Options” dialog box. You can then select “This PC” from the “Open File Explorer to:” drop-down. It defaults to “Quick access,” and you can change it back, if desired.

Quick Access in Windows 10 – Tutorial: A picture of the “Folder Options” dialog box for a File Explorer window in Windows 10.

            You can also choose whether or not to show recent files and frequent folders within the Quick access view within this dialog box. In the “Privacy” section of the “General” tab in the “Folder Options” dialog box, you can check or uncheck the “Show recently used files in Quick access” and “Show frequently used folders in Quick access” checkboxes to show or hide those elements within the Quick access view. You can also click the “Clear” button in this same section to clear the File Explorer history, if desired. When finished using the “Folder Options” dialog box, click the “OK” button to apply your changes.

            You can easily remove any file or folder shown within the Quick access view from being displayed by right-clicking the file or folder to remove and then clicking the “Remove from Quick access” command in the pop-up contextual menu that appears. To pin an existing folder to the “Frequent folders” group in the Quick access view, navigate to the folder to pin using File Explorer. Right-click the folder to pin to Quick access within the File Explorer window and then click the “Pin to Quick access” command in the pop-up contextual menu that appears.

Quick Access in Windows 10: Instructions

1. The “Quick access” view, shown at the top of the Navigation pane, is the new default view of File Explorer when it is initially opened.
2. For users who are upgrading from Windows 8.1 or 8 and who choose to keep their old files, you will find your old favorites that used to be pinned under the “Favorites” folder within File Explorer are now shown within the “Quick access” view.
3. Quick access in Windows 10 shows your most frequently opened folders in a group at the top of the right pane, followed by a group of your recently opened files below it.
4. You can double-click any of the folders shown in the “Frequent folders” group to open it and display its contents within the right pane of the File Explorer window.
5. You can also double-click any file shown in the “Recent files” group in the right pane of the Quick access view to open the file.
6. To display the “This PC” folder versus the “Quick access” view when opening File Explorer, open the File Explorer window and select the “Options” button within the “View” tab of the Ribbon to open the “General” tab within the “Folder Options” dialog box.
7. Select “This PC” from the “Open File Explorer to:” drop-down.
8. It defaults to “Quick access,” and you can change it back, if desired.
9. To choose whether or not to show recent files and frequent folders in Quick access view, check or uncheck the “Show recently used files in Quick access” and “Show frequently used folders in Quick access” checkboxes in the “Privacy” section of the “General” tab in the “Folder Options” dialog box.
10. To clear the File Explorer history, if desired, click the “Clear” button in this same section.
11. To apply your changes when done using the “Folder Options” dialog box, click the “OK” button.
12. To remove any file or folder shown within the Quick access view from being displayed, right-click the file or folder to remove and then click the “Remove from Quick access” command in the pop-up contextual menu that appears.
13. To pin an existing folder to the “Frequent folders” group in the Quick access view, navigate to the folder to pin using File Explorer.
14. Right-click the folder to pin to Quick access within the File Explorer window and then click the “Pin to Quick access” command in the pop-up contextual menu that appears.