# How can I pick which programs are in quicklaunch and start menu.

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-pick-which-programs-are-in-quicklaunch-and-start-menu/324312
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 1, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-pick-which-programs-are-in-quicklaunch-and-start-menu/324312 "2005-10-01T05:54:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)
#### Post date: [October 1, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-pick-which-programs-are-in-quicklaunch-and-start-menu/324312/1 "2005-10-01T05:54:23Z")

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The title pretty much says it all. How do I pick which programs are in the quick launch menu and which are in the start-\>programs menu?

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### Author: ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)
#### Post date: [October 1, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-pick-which-programs-are-in-quicklaunch-and-start-menu/324312/2 "2005-10-01T06:02:43Z")

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What you don’t want, right-click and delete, and drag into what you do.

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### Author: ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)
#### Post date: [October 1, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-pick-which-programs-are-in-quicklaunch-and-start-menu/324312/3 "2005-10-01T06:08:29Z")

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Its that simple huh? :smack:

Thanks a bunch.

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### Author: ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)
#### Post date: [October 1, 2005, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-pick-which-programs-are-in-quicklaunch-and-start-menu/324312/4 "2005-10-01T07:23:31Z")

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To be a little more explicit, both the Quick Launch bar and the Start Menu -\> All Programs things are populated based on the contents of some specific folders that you can pretty much throw whatever you want in. If you right-click on the start menu and say “Explore”, you’ll be taken to the folder that represents the Start Menu. For my account, it’s “C:\Documents and Settings  
tucker\Start Menu”, and in there, there is a folder called “Programs”. If I stick a shortcut in there, that same shortcut shows up on my “All Programs” menu in the Start Menu. Further, if you right-click in the Quick Launch bar and say “Open Folder”, you’ll see that the Quick Launch bar is simply populated from a specific folder, too. In my case, it’s “C:\Documents and Settings  
tucker\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch”. So shortcuts I throw in there show up on the Quick Launch bar.

In addition, you can create your own QuickLaunch-like bars. Try this. Create a folder called “C: hingies” and then throw some shortcuts in it. Then right-click on the taskbar and under the “Toolbars” submenu, pick “New Toolbar.” When it asks you to choose a folder, choose “C: hingies”. You’ll suddenly get a new toolbar that has all the shortcuts you put in your “thingies” directory. By default it comes up with large icons and titles showing, but you can right-click on it and change its appearance to be just like the QuickLaunch bar.
