When managing files it’s important that you can browse quickly to your most frequently-used folders, and Windows provides various ways to help. You might add some to your Explorer Favourites, pin more to the taskbar or Start Screen, create custom shortcuts for Explorer, maybe a batch file: there’s a lot to do.

Alternatively, you could just use the free FoldersPopup, a single tool which provides quick, easy and configurable access to your key folders from just about anywhere.

To give the program a try, run it, launch Notepad and click File > Open. Middle-click the mouse or press Ctrl+K and the FoldersPopup menu appears. Common folders like C:\, \Program Files or \Folders are a click away, Recent or System folders (Desktop, Documents, Pictures) are on submenus, and once you select something the Open dialog updates immediately.

Favourite, recent and system folders are only ever a hotkey or mouse click away

This isn’t just about opening files. FoldersPopup also works in Save, Export, Import, Insert, Select and Upload dialogs. You may be able to customise the program to work with other dialogs, too (see Settings > Supported Dialog Boxes).

FoldersPopup is just as helpful in Explorer. It’s an easy way to change folders; just call it up and select whatever you like. Or, if you’re at the desktop and need to open a folder, you’re able to launch Explorer there with a hotkey or mouse action.

Better still, this even works at the command prompt. Forget typing a really long path, only to find it contains spaces and you forgot to use quotes: just activate FoldersPopup, choose your folder, and the program enters the appropriate “CD \…” command for you.

Configurability is another highlight. You’re not restricted to a single list of favourite folders, for example: they can be categorised into as many submenus as you need. (Although we’d be careful with that: the whole point of the program is to avoid complex browsing.)

And if you’re already using the middle click or Ctrl+K for something else, no problem. Every FoldersPopup feature has its own custom hotkey and mouse action, so any conflicts can be fixed in seconds.