Summary

In Windows 7, the taskbar has been revamped significantly. One of its features is to allow the user to pin shortcuts to most frequently used applications. Users can open a program right from the taskbar instead of first finding it in the Start menu and then running it. But if you have not yet upgraded to Windows 7 and are still using Windows XP, how would you go about achieving the same functionality without installing a third-party application. Let's see how.

Quick Launch Toolbar

Most of us already know about the Quick Launch toolbar. As the name suggests, its purpose is to quickly launch programs. By default, it sits immediately to the right of the Start menu. If you do not see the Quick Launch bar on your computer, most probably you have not enabled it. In Windows XP, Quick Launch toolbar is disabled by default.

To enable Quick Launch toolbar, simply right-click on any blank area of your taskbar and under Toolbars, click Quick Launch.

Pinning Shortcuts

After you have enabled it, the next step is to pin shortcuts to the programs you use most often on the Quick Launch toolbar. Follow the steps given below:

1. Right-click on any blank area of your taskbar. If there is a check mark in front of the Lock the Taskbar option, click it to unlock the taskbar.
   
2. When unlocked, grips would appear to the left of each toolbar. Right-click on the grip for Quick Launch bar and click Open Folder.
   
3. In the folder that opens, create a shortcut to all of the programs you use the most.
   
4. Now resize your taskbar making it bigger so that Quick Launch appears in the top row and taskbar buttons appears in the bottom row.
5. Hold the grip left to the taskbar buttons and drag it all the way down towards the bottom of the screen. Doing this allows you to give each toolbar its own row.
6. Now, once again, right-click on the grip to the left of Quick Launch toolbar and under View, click Large Icons.
7. As the final step, right-click on any blank area of your taskbar and click Lock the Taskbar.

Disable Quick Launch

If, for any reason, you do not like the final outcome and want to reset everything back to the way it was, simply disable the Quick Launch toolbar and resize the taskbar back to its original size.

To disable Quick Launch toolbar, right-click on any blank area of your taskbar and under Toolbars, untick the Quick Launch option if there is a check mark in front of it.