Windows Tools, Help & Guides

Many people use Vista’s quick launch feature. The quick launch can be found next to the start menu; however, over time I’ve found myself instructing readers on how to restore these icons if they lose them. The reason I knew how to do this is because I, too, lost them myself! In this guide, you’ll learn how to restore the quick launch icons to the quick launch menu in Windows Vista.

Ensure Quick Launch Toolbar is Enabled

The first thing to do to try restore the icons is first make sure the quick launch toolbar is enabled. To enable the quick launch toolbar, do the following:

1. Right click a blank space on the Taskbar
2. Select Toolbars > Quick Launch

If this doesn’t fix your problem, please continue reading.

Restore Vista Quick Launch Icons

To restore the quick launch icons, you’ll first need to show hidden files and folders. To show hidden files and folders, do the following:

1. To restore the quick launch icons, navigate to the following folder by opening Computer (Winkey+E) and typing the following in the address bar:
   

   shell:Quick Launch

2. Download this zip file, which contains the replacement icons.
   (You can also find these icons in the following location on your computer: C:UsersDefaultAppDataRoamingMicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick Launch)
3. Copy the shortcuts from the zip file into the quick launch folder.

You will notice the quick launch toolbar updates immediately. Congratulations, you have you’ll quick call shortcuts back.

Note: you can add other shortcuts to the quick launch toolbar with the same method or you can simply drag the shortcut to the toolbar directly.