GPO add link in file explorer

Question

Hi all,
I would deploy some paths to many computer using Group Policy inside Windows 10 File Explorer.
Servers has got Windows 2016 OS.

Is it possible to add link to "Quick access" or in "This PC" section using GPO?

I have searched online but I did not find anything.
Thanks so much

Federico

Answer 1

Hello @Federico Coppola ,
Thank you for posting here.

After my research, I cannot find such GPO settings to add link to "Quick access" or in "This PC".
Maybe there is no such existing GPO settings to acquire your request.
For your request, we can try the following similar method.

You can Pin the local folder under Quick Access.


Or configure Drive Maps for the folder you want to share through GPO, so that the user or computer can access the file through this path on the interface shown in the following figure (in my lab, the folder is configured with drive mapping for folder redirection.)


By the way, What link do you want to add under “Quick Access” or “This PC”? In order to better troubleshoot this issue, I would be honored if you can provide more details.

For more information we can refer to the links below：

Pin, remove, and customize in Quick access
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4027032/windows-pin-remove-and-customize-in-quick-access

Using Group Policy Preferences to Map Drives Based on Group Membership
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/ask-the-directory-services-team/using-group-policy-preferences-to-map-drives-based-on-group/ba-p/395918

Best regards,
Stephanie Yu

============================================

If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.
Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Answer 2

Hi I would link share SMB to "Quick Access" section of laptop users file explorer.
I have already created a GPO with link in "Network Location" section with success, due to this customer doesn't want use disk mapping
(here there is my other discussion and solution: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/94432/gpo-network-location.html

Thanks so much!

Answer 3

Yes there is a way using Shortcuts in user Group Policy Preferences.

Create a user shortcut as such:

Name: %USERPROFILE%\Links\YourLinkNameHere

Target Type: File System Object

Target Path: \blah\blah\blah

On the Common tab check to run in logged-on user's security context.