# Windows XP query **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 10, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-query/154170 "2003-02-10T19:38:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dc4da7/32.png) [@Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rider)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-query/154170/1 "2003-02-10T19:38:55Z")
Hi, Sorry to ask a dull question but… Having just switched to Windows XP with my new PC, I can’t find that handy little icon on the taskbar that lets you go straight back to the desktop when you have a few internet windows open ( so you don’t need to close them one by one) Does anyone know if there is one? Thanks… ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-query/154170/2 "2003-02-10T19:41:21Z")
Right click on the taskbar, click “properties,” and make sure “Show Quick Launch” is checked. ---
**Author:** ![Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dc4da7/32.png) [@Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rider)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-query/154170/3 "2003-02-10T19:43:41Z")
Thanks…saved me hours of stress. Great . ---
**Author:** ![critter42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@critter42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/critter42)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-query/154170/4 "2003-02-10T20:07:51Z")
for me, the easiest way, so I don’t have to look for/click on the icon is to hit \+ d. this will automatically bring up the desktop, no matter if the quick launch bar is showing or not. critter42 ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-query/154170/5 "2003-02-10T20:29:47Z")
Oh, that’s a useful one I didn’t know about. The ones I use a lot are: Windows-E – brings up File Explorer/My Computer Windows-(Pause/Break) – brings up the sytems properties Window Windows (by itself) – convinces the sometimes stubborn hidden task bar to reappear. On a tangent, here’s a joke I just heard: You know, if Bill Gates had a nickel for every time Windows has crashed … oh, wait. He does. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-query/154170/6 "2003-02-10T20:43:18Z")
By the way, if you ever delete that icon (which some of my brilliant clients have been known to do) from your taskbar, here’s where you can find it: C:\Documents and Settings\YOURUSERNAME\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch This is for XP. I am pretty sure it’s in a different place in 2k and 98. Application Data is a hidden folder, btw, so you will need to show hidden folders to be able to find it. Anyway, once you find that folder using Windows Explorer, just “Send to - Desktop (as shortcut)” then drag the shortcut into the quicklaunch area. Then you can delete the shortcut from your desktop (because really, what’s the point 😉 ). ---
**Author:** ![LtningBug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/73ab20/32.png) [@LtningBug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LtningBug)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-query/154170/7 "2003-02-11T09:27:38Z")
[hijack] Some more useful windows key combos: Windows + m = minimize all windows (almost the same as win-d, but doesn’t get rid of windows that can’t be minimized) Windows + r = bring up the run control. Windows + L = lock computer (very handy, especially at work.) [/hijack]