[Solution] Favorite Links is Empty in Windows Vista Explorer Navigation Pane

If you like this article, please share it with your friends and contacts on Google Plus, Facebook and Twitter using following buttons so that they can also enjoy the article:

Sometimes Windows Vista users face a problem when the "Favorite Links" section in Windows Explorer Navigation Pane doesnt show any item:

If you are facing this problem, then use following methods:

Method A:

1. Right-click in Favorite Links section and select "Restore Default Favorite Links" option.

2. It'll restore all the shortcuts immediately and your problem will be solved.

If the above mentioned method doesnt work, then use following method:

Method B:

1. Type regedit in RUN dialog box and press Enter. Now goto:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile

2. In right-side pane, create a new String Value IsShortcut

3. Close Registry Editor and restart your Windows. It'll fix the problem.

Other similar articles that may interest you:

This article was posted by VG in following section: Troubleshooting, Windows Vista.

If you enjoyed this article, you can subscribe to our RSS feed or free newsletter to get all new articles directly in your Inbox. Also check out our most popular articles and archive to read other interesting articles. If you have some news or tip to share, please send us.

Have You Checked Out Following Popular Articles?

Ronald

Dear Vishal,

Will the second solution reinstate the shortcut arrow on desktop icons?
And is this caused by deleting this registry key in the first place to remove the arrow icon?
VG

^^ Exactly. ;)
Damien Benoit

Using Vista Home Premium and tried both methods with a no go. Anything else? Nothing worked for me! Matter of fact, the string was already there, I deleted and remade it but i mean what good what that do? Any options?
Jonathan Barth

This didn't work for me. However, I did figure out something that did work. In my user folder, I recreated a folder named "Links." Not realizing I needed this, I had deleted it. Then, I was able to follow your steps and make it work.
andrefiji

Jonathan Barth:

thanks man. that worked for me too. it was irritating the crap out of me!
Tim

Thank you, John.
Michael

I cant find the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile.
praky

hi there. very nice blog. good to see an indian geek out there.
coming to the point..
i am using windows 7. I cut pasted my 'documents' folder to e drive accidentally. Then moved them back to their default position but now favorites link is empty and i can't 'restore default favorite links' now. neither i can add any links to favorites. plz help.

Also could not try your second method as there is no inkfile in windows 7 registry.
David

Looked around how to solve this problem, and what worked for me was recreating the "Links" user folder as Jonathan said.
Pondy

It is actually called "Lnkfile". I looked for inkfile at first aswell, untill i remembered the oldest trick in the book of using an "L" to make a capital "i" to fakenick people.