How Windows 10's Quick Access feature differs from Favorites
The favorites folder in Windows' default file explorer Windows Explorer allows you to display custom folders in the Explorer sidebar for fast access.
The feature is very convenient for Windows users who use Windows Explorer and not a third-party file manager such as Total Commander.
If you have installed a version of Windows 10 then you may have noticed that it features a quick access group in File Explorer's sidebar instead of a favorites group.
Quick Access looks similar on first glance to Favorites and you might think for a moment that just the name changed and nothing else (like when Windows Explorer was renamed to File Explorer).
Quick Access vs Favorites
If you compare Favorites and Quick Access visually, you will notice two core differences. Favorites list folders only in list form. If you compare that to Quick Access, you will notice a pin icon next to some folders listed underneath it.
The second difference becomes visible when you click on Favorites or on Quick Access. Favorites simply lists the same (mostly) folders that are listed underneath it, while Quick Access lists folders as well but also recent files.
There are two type of Quick Access folders: pinned folders that remain visible at all times and frequent folders which change dynamically while you are using the operating system.
You will notice over time that the selection of folders changes based on use. It is rather easy -- but not intuitive -- however to pin a folder so that it remains available at all times. It would make sense to right-click folders listed under the Quick Access group to pin them but that is not possible right now, at least not on right-clicks in the sidebar.
The pinning option is only displayed on the right after you have clicked or tapped on Quick Access. A right-click on a regular folder there displays an option to pin the folder to Quick Access.
It remains a mystery why the "remove from Quick access" option is available on the same page and in the sidebar. If you right-click a pinned item, the full context menu is displayed whereas a right-click on an unpinned folder displays only an expand option.
It is interesting to note that you can remove files listed under recent files from Quick Access by right-clicking on them and selecting "remove from quick access" from the context menu. This ensures that those files are not displayed anymore.
New folders can be added via drag and drop to the Quick Access group. This works from any location on the system and is therefore identical to how you added new folders to the Favorites in earlier versions of Windows.
Another feature that Microsoft added to Quick Access is the ability to make it behave exactly like Favorites in earlier versions. You need to click on File > Change Folder and Search Options in File Explorer for that.
There you find listed three options affecting Quick Access:
- Switch from displaying Quick Access when opening File Explorer to My PC instead.
- Disable "Show recently used files in Quick Access" to remove the file listing when you click on it in File Explorer.
- Disable "Show recently used folders in Quick Access" to remove the dynamic component of the feature.
If you disable 2 and 3, you end up with the Favorites functionality in Windows 10.
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help