Change where Explorer opens in Windows 7

April 11th, 2009 . Filed under: Tips. Tags: Explorer, Libraries, Tweaks

In Windows 7 the default location to which Explorer opens is the Libraries folder which contain your Documents.

Type explorer.exe in Start Search and hit enter to see where it opens.

Windows 7 libraries

But if you dont like this and want your Explorer open to the My Computer location, as used to be done in the earlier versions of Windows, you can have it set so.

Open Start menu > All Programs > Accessories > Windows Explorer. Right click & select Properties.

In the Target box you will see : %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe

Copy paste and change it to : %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

Click Apply > OK.

Your Windows Explorer in Windows 7 will now open at the (My) Computer location.

UPDATE:

Using the command: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} makes explorer open in Computer folder, and even subsequent folders open in the same window.

Using %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /root,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} opens subsequent folder/s in a different window.

To make the taskbar pinned folder open to Computer folder, instead of Libraries, right click on its icon and again right click on Windows Explorer and open its Properties box. In the target box use

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

Click Apply > OK.

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}