# Where do I find a desktop icon to drag to quicklaunch bar?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-find-a-desktop-icon-to-drag-to-quicklaunch-bar/275671>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 19, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-find-a-desktop-icon-to-drag-to-quicklaunch-bar/275671 "2004-11-19T16:04:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-find-a-desktop-icon-to-drag-to-quicklaunch-bar/275671/1 "2004-11-19T16:04:39Z")

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I accidently deleted the “go to desktop” icon from my quicklaunch bar. I don’t know where to find one to drag back to it. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-find-a-desktop-icon-to-drag-to-quicklaunch-bar/275671/2 "2004-11-19T16:10:04Z")

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On my XP machine, it’s in C:\Documents and Settings&lt;myusername\>\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch. Change \<myusername\> to whatever user account name you use. If you don’t have XP or can’t find it, use Find from the Start Menu to look for _Show Destop_.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-find-a-desktop-icon-to-drag-to-quicklaunch-bar/275671/3 "2004-11-19T16:13:44Z")

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> [@Q.E.D.](#):
>
> _Show Destop_.

Stick a K in there wherever you think it will work best. :smack:

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-find-a-desktop-icon-to-drag-to-quicklaunch-bar/275671/4 "2004-11-19T16:15:12Z")

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Navigate to this folder and you should find the “show desktop” item and be able to drag a copy (hold the CTRL key as you drag and drop to make a copy) of it to wherever you desire.

C:\Documents and Settings{your login ID}\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

Note that some of the folders in this path are hidden, so you may need to turn on “show hidden folders” - click Folder Options under the Tools menu in Explorer, click the View tab, then find and select “Show hidden files and folders” - it’s about the ninth item in the list.

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**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-find-a-desktop-icon-to-drag-to-quicklaunch-bar/275671/5 "2004-11-19T18:37:53Z")

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It’s also easy to [make a new one](http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=190355)

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**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-find-a-desktop-icon-to-drag-to-quicklaunch-bar/275671/6 "2004-11-19T20:17:40Z")

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It deletes the icon completely so I had to rebuild it per \*\*Tim314[\*\*post. Thanks all. Seems odd that they would let that happen.