Where Are Windows Quick Access Pins Stored?
Quick Access pins live in one Jump List file, f01b4d95cf55d32a.automaticDestinations-ms, under Recent's AutomaticDestinations.
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Quick Access pins are not shortcuts in a folder you can browse. They are entries inside a single Jump List database file with a fixed cryptic name. That is why the pins survive file moves yet vanish after some updates.
Knowing the filename turns backup into a one file copy. Save that file aside and you can restore your whole pinned set after a reinstall or when an update wipes it.
Where Windows stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations\f01b4d95cf55d32a.automaticDestinations-ms
The File Explorer Jump List holding Quick Access and frequent entries. Back it up by copying the file elsewhere. Restoring means pasting it back with Explorer closed, then reopening. The file cannot be renamed.
Frequently asked questions
how do i back up quick access pinned folders
Copy f01b4d95cf55d32a.automaticDestinations-ms from the AutomaticDestinations folder to safe storage. After a reinstall, paste it back with File Explorer closed and your pins return.
why did my quick access pins disappear
Windows updates and cleanup tools sometimes delete Jump List files. Frequent folders rebuild on their own with use, but manually pinned entries need your backup copy to come back.
where are manually pinned jump list items versus automatic ones
Automatic entries live in AutomaticDestinations files like the one above. Items you pinned inside an app's Jump List go to CustomDestinations beside it. Quick Access itself reads the automatic file.
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