Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.

You can create a shortcut to open Windows Explorer on the directory of your choice.

How can I get Windows Explorer to default to open on a directory of my choosing?

Create a new shortcut to Windows Explorer and on that shortcut select Properties. The "Target:" field will be something like: "%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe". Simply change that to include the desired directory, like this: "%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe d:\directory". Now that shortcut will open Windows Explorer directly on "d:\directory".

Article C1984 - June 4, 2004 « »

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Leo Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed. After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.

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Recent Comments
30 Comments
Harry Audus
January 27, 2010 3:52 AM

Have a look at Bob Cerelli's Explorer Tips ...
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/explorer_tips.htm

Lassie
June 5, 2010 2:52 PM

Leo, this is way too funny. I was working on my friend's PC and she had 'Windows Explorer' on the desktop. I am not that pc literate but I get there, with a lot of help from yourself...:) Anyway, I can home and realized that I never had WE anywhere. I mean anywhere. So, I searched your site, found what I was looking for and (lol) all along, I had it. Only thing was I forgotten I had renamed it "My Computer!!!" I love your page. Thank you for it. :)

Eric Bennison
January 17, 2012 10:27 AM

I would like wi explorer to start in my computer not my documents?
I have XP Thanks Eric

Nick Godwin
January 19, 2012 4:41 PM

I open the directory I want in WE then go up one level and right click that folder and create a shortcut. Then I move that shortcut to the desktop or wherever I want it, and rename it as required. Then whenever I click that shortcut it opens WE at that folder.

Incidentally that's an integral part of how I keep my desktop very clear of icons, by using folders with groups of programs and/or folders in them. Then as new icons build up on my desktop I move them into one (or more) of the folders, leaving the desktop clear of all but the most essential column of icons (My computer, Help & Support, Recycle Bin, Control Panel, and one or two others that I use extremely frequently).

Otherwise the desktop is pretty clear. Plus there are the various taskbars at the bottom, which I have set to auto-hide. This is XP, by the way. Dont know if the same stuff would apply to a later OS.

adof
March 25, 2012 1:16 PM

How can I get Windows Explorer to default to open on a My computer ?":