How to rename Quick Access folders in Windows 11

Windows Quick Access is a handy feature. It not only lists recent folders but also includes some system folders like documents, downloads, pictures and so on. If you ever wanted to rename Quick Access folders, we will guide you can go about it. You will need administrator privileges to complete it.

Rename Quick Access folders in Windows 11/10

The process is straightforward, and here is a summary of what we are going to do.

Copy path of the original folder
Use mklink /j command to create a symbolic link
Remove original folder from Quick Access and add the new one.

Now let us take a look at the method involved in a bit more detail.

There is no direct way to rename the default folders in Quick Access. However, you may choose to use Symlink or Junction feature to do so. It is similar to how we changed the Windows Download folder. Once adjusted, you can add it with your desired name.

Here are the steps:

Open the File Explorer. Shift + Right-click on the folder you want to change the name.

Click on “Copy as Path”. Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.

Type the following:

mklink /J <Link> <Target>

Here replace <Link> with the Path of the new folder shortcut, and <Target> with the Path of the original folder which we copied in the above step.

Hit the Enter key.

Now, navigate to the newly created shortcut in that path. Right-click on it and choose Pin to Quick Access. Remove the original folder by selecting “Unpin from Quick Access.”

Customize renamed Quick Access folders

Taking one step ahead, if you don’t want to it to look like a folder shortcut, you can change that too.

Right-click on it, and go to Properties.
Next, choose the Customize option.
Under the folder icons option, click on Change icon.
Select an icon that closely resembles the folder purpose.
Click Apply.

However, now you need to unpin it from Quick Access, and re-pin for the icon to appear. That done, we still need to get rid of the shortcut icon. You may want to remove the icon shortcut.

That’s it. You are all set with your choice of the folder name in Windows 11/10.

How do I customize my Quick Access folder?

To customize your Quick Access folder, right-click or long-press on any folder and choose “Pin to Quick Access” to add it. To remove a folder, right-click or long-press the folder in Quick Access and select “Unpin from Quick Access.” This lets you easily access frequently used folders and personalize your Quick Access view.

How do I rename a folder quickly in Windows?

To quickly rename a folder in Windows, right-click the folder and choose “Rename” from the context menu. Type the new name and press Enter. Alternatively, select the folder and press F2 to activate rename mode. Type the new name and hit Enter to confirm the change.