Copying a project onto the desktop can make it easier to reach while creating uncertainty about which version to edit. A Quick access entry gives you a shorter route to the intended folder without making a second working copy.

First, open the folder through its ordinary location. Check that it contains the expected project and note its path. This matters when several folders share a name such as Reports or Current.

Pin the actual working location

Press Windows+E to open File Explorer. Right-click the intended folder and select Pin to Quick access. In Windows 11 version 22H2 and later, familiar folders such as Documents and Pictures appear in Home’s Quick access area rather than under This PC.

Return to Home, use the new entry and inspect the address bar. Confirm that it leads to the same location you recorded. Open a harmless existing document to check that you recognise the contents, without creating a test edit in valuable work.

A pin changes how you navigate. Treat storage availability, permissions and backup as separate matters. For example, an entry pointing to removable or network storage still depends on that storage being available when needed.

Keep the shortcut useful throughout the project

If the entry opens an unexpected location, stop and compare the full paths before renaming or deleting anything. Similar folder names are not proof that their contents are interchangeable.

When the project is finished, right-click its Quick access entry and select Unpin from Quick access. Then confirm that the original folder is still present through its ordinary path. Unpinning the navigation entry is the appropriate tidy-up action; deleting the project folder is a separate decision.

Use a small set of active locations so the list remains easy to scan. The goal is a reliable route to the agreed working folder, with one clear location for the files themselves.

Sources: Microsoft File Explorer.