6 Ways to Bookmark Your Favorite Folders in Windows

If you’re constantly digging through nested folders to get to the same few places, you’re wasting time. Windows offers several ways to bookmark or pin your favorite folders so you can access them instantly. Whether you’re working on projects, managing media, or just like things organized, these six methods will make navigating your files a lot smoother.

1. Pin to Quick Access

The easiest and most used method.

• Navigate to the folder you want to bookmark.
• Right-click it and choose “Pin to Quick Access.”
• It will now appear in the Quick Access section at the top of your File Explorer sidebar.

To unpin, just right-click it again and choose “Unpin from Quick Access.”

2. Add to Start Menu

For folders you use daily, adding them to the Start Menu gives one-click access.

• Right-click the folder.
• Select “Show more options” if on Windows 11, then click “Pin to Start.”

It’ll appear as a tile in your Start Menu. You can drag and rearrange it like any app.

3. Create Desktop Shortcuts

Old school, but still effective.

• Right-click the folder and choose “Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).”
• Rename it if needed.

This keeps your most-used folders a double-click away without even opening File Explorer.

4. Use File Explorer’s Address Bar History

File Explorer remembers folders you’ve recently visited.

• Just click the drop-down arrow on the address bar.
• Recent folders appear for quick re-access.

While not permanent like a bookmark, it’s handy for short-term workflows.

5. Map as a Drive (for Network or Cloud Folders)

For folders on a network or synced cloud location, mapping as a drive adds it under “This PC.”

• Open File Explorer > This PC.
• Click “Map network drive” on the toolbar.
• Choose a letter and browse to the folder.

It now acts like a normal drive and stays persistent across reboots.

6. Use a Third-Party Tool (like “Clover” or “Listary”)

If you want tabs or searchable bookmarks inside File Explorer, tools like these help:

• Clover adds Chrome-like tabs and bookmarks to File Explorer.
• Listary lets you search and jump to favorite folders instantly.

These apps can seriously level up your workflow if you spend a lot of time in File Explorer.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to keep wasting clicks getting to the same folders. Pick a method that fits your style—Quick Access for simplicity, Start Menu for visibility, or third-party tools for power users. The less time you spend navigating, the more time you spend getting things done.