Easy Access to the Desktop

>>TIP There are a million and one ways to get to your desktop icons quickly. My two favorite routes to desktop icons use the keyboard and the mouse, respectively.

The keyboard approach: Press Windows-D to minimize all open windows (including some that don't normally minimize, such as the Control Panel properties dialog boxes). If you change your mind, press Windows-D again to undo the effect, as long as you haven't restored or launched any other windows in the interim.

The menu method: In Windows XP, you may need to unlock the taskbar. Right-click it and make sure Lock the taskbar is unchecked. In all versions of Windows, right-click the taskbar and choose Toolbars, Desktop. To make the Desktop toolbar a space-saving menu, right-click the word Desktop and choose View, Small or View, Small Icons. Right-click it again and uncheck Show Text to hide its icon labels.

Now drag the word Desktop until the toolbar is positioned where you want it on the taskbar relative to other taskbar icons and toolbars (such as to the left of the Quick Launch toolbar). Drag the dividers until no icons are visible and only 'Desktop>> ' shows. Anytime you need a desktop item, just click the double-greater-than symbol (>>) to see a menu showing what's on your desktop (see FIGURE 4).

You can put shortcuts to any folder you often use on a menu that pops up from the taskbar. Just right-click the taskbar and choose Toolbars, New Toolbar; then select the folder and click OK. (See "Folders on Start Menu" for an alternative folder-shortcut location.)

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