Backup/restore Explorer navigation pane Quick Access?

I'm reluctantly upgrading to W10 as my new laptop isn't supported by W7. My goal is to get W10 to work as similar as possible to W7.

Anyway, one of the things I'm finding really awkward is the new "Quick Access" links in Explorer's navigation pane, which replaces the old Links or Favorites.

With Favorites:

• I could backup my links using a script.
• I was able to change the location of the Favorites folder using a registry hack, which was also very useful.
• I was able to rename Favorites while keeping the target folder name unchanged, which is a very real and typical scenario
• Ability to set custom icons
• Relied on the familiar and simple mechanism of Explorer shortcuts, which allows easy and convenient manipulation

None of this is now possible with the new and super-duper Quick Access that Microsoft spent time and money to re-invent. Why they had to go out of their way to "fix" something that worked remarkably well is beyond me.

Long story short, I need a way to back up Quick Access links, but I can't find them anywhere on my c:\ drive. Favorites used to be stored in %UserProfile%\Links, where the heck are Quick Access links stored?

Cheers

dalchina said:

Hi try this from the excellent Tutorials section -- do have a look.
File Explorer Quick Access Toolbar - Backup and Restore in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

Thanks, unfortunately that's not what I was looking for, it's a tutorial for backing up the toolbar buttons, not the Quick Access (a.k.a. "Favorites") folders in the navigation pane.

Luckily I just found a way to do it, basically you need to copy all files in:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations

Then, on the new system, delete any files in the same folder and paste the backed up files overwriting any left-over files.

Again, you'll encounter one of those "mystery" path problem, so typical of Microsoft, where the path displayed in the addresss bar and the actual path are not the same:

Displayed: C:\Users\Manuel\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent Items\AutomaticDestinations
Actual: C:\Users\Manuel\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations

Furthermore, if you go to:

C:\Users\Manuel\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\

The "AutomaticDestinations" folder is nowhere to be found, even if you configure Explorer to not hide protected system files. It's one of those special and very typical Microsoft mystery folders that exist but don't exist. There is clearly no logic behind this system where not all folders are the same... I do hope Microsoft go bust ASAP and major software developers start writing code for Linux, then we won't have to deal with Microsoft's nonsense.

Scoox said:

Thanks, unfortunately that's not what I was looking for, it's a tutorial for backing up the toolbar buttons, not the Quick Access (a.k.a. "Favorites") folders in the navigation pane.
Luckily I just found a way to do it, basically you need to copy all files in:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations

You almost had it but not quite.

The file you want to keep is this one f01b4d95cf55d32a.automaticDestinations-ms
That's the one that has all your shortcuts to the quick access that you added.

To get to the address no matter what system you have use this address
%appdata%\microsoft\windows\recent\automaticdestinations .

That's more like it

Yeah a bit late

Zardoc said:

You almost had it but not quite.

The file you want to keep is this one f01b4d95cf55d32a.automaticDestinations-ms
That's the one that has all your shortcuts to the quick access that you added.

To get to the address no matter what system you have use this address
%appdata%\microsoft\windows\recent\automaticdestinations .

That's more like it

Yeah a bit late

How to Backup and Restore Quick Access Pinned Folders in Windows 10