[Tips] Create a favorite for your temporary folder

We all have a folder where we put files that just need to be checked once or that need to be extracted before saving them in their final location. Some people use their Desktop for this. Personally, I prefer to keep my Desktop clean and I’m using the subfolder C:\TEMP. You could also use the temporary folder created by Windows. It is hidden deep under the surface but Windows created the variable %TEMP% to make it easy to access.

Whatever your preference is, let’s see how to make it easy to access this folder in different ways using Quick Access Popup.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to

  • create a favorite for a folder;
  • give this favorite a distinct icon;
  • give your folder a shortcut to access it instantly;
  • sync this icon with the Windows folder.

Create the favorite

1) Open the Customize window (named Settings in the screen captures from an earlier version). Hit the Middle mouse button and select Customize, or press Shift + Control + C and click the Add button.

2) Select the Folder type and click Continue.

3) Give your favorite the name My Temp Folder (or the name of your choice, of course) in the zone Short name for menu.

4) In the Folder (path) zone, browse to your temporary folder or simply enter its location. In my example, I use the C:\TEMP folder.

5) To assign a distinctive icon to your favorite, switch to the Menu Options tab and click the folder icon or the Select icon link. In the Change icon dialog box, choose your preferred icon for the favorite. Click OK.

6) You will now assign a keyboard shortcut, in our example Shift + Control + T that will allow you to open your temp folder in a snap. Still in the Menu Options tab, click the Change button beside the Shortcut zone.

7) In the Change shortcut dialog box, select the check boxes for two modifiers Shift and Control and, in the Keyboard zone, type type letter T. Click OK and, back in the Add favorite dialog box, click Add and, in the Settings window, save your new favorite with Save & Close.

Test your new favorite.

  • With the menu: hit the Middle mouse button and see your new favorite at the top of the menu (take note of the shortcut reminder between parenthesis). Select this item: this opens the Temp folder in an Explorer window.
  • Close the windows before trying your keyboard shortcut.
  • With keyboard shortcut: press Shift + Control + T. The Temp folder is immediately open in an Explorer window.

Bravo! You now have two easy and quick ways to access your Temp folder!

Sync your Windows folder icon

Now, let’s see a little more advanced trick. But this is so easy with QAP!

Your Temp folder probably has no icon assigned to it. When an icon is assigned to a Windows folder, this icon is displayed instead of the plain beige folder icon in Windows Explorer, in applications file dialog box (Open, Save As, etc.) and other places in Windows.

You can use the Add/Edit favorite dialog box to sync your folder icon. In the Menu Options tab, click the link Set Windows folder icon link to change the folder’s icon to the one you selected for your favorite.

That way, your QAP menu and your Windows file system show the same icon for your Temp folder. When a icon is already set for a Windows folder, QAP can also remove it with the link Remove Windows folder icon that is displayed at the same location in the Menu Options tab.

See you Temp folder now in Windows Explorer.

 

 

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