TrayDir is a free, open-source productivity tool that maps files, folders, and web links directly to your Windows system tray. By pinning these assets to the tray, you can access your most-used items via a clean right-click menu without cluttering your desktop, taskbar, or File Explorer. How to Get Started with TrayDir
Download and Run: Download the latest release from the official SamuelSVD/TrayDir GitHub Repository. It is lightweight and operates as a standalone tool.
Explore the Interface: When you open the program, you will see a clean main configuration window. This is where you build your custom menu paths before saving them to the tray. Adding Items to Your System Tray
TrayDir makes it incredibly easy to populate your menu with different types of shortcuts:
Files: Click the New File button at the top to browse your system and add individual files like PDFs, spreadsheets, or scripts.
Folders: Add entire folders to the list. When you right-click the icon later, you can expand these folders to browse and open subfolders or files directly through the tray.
Websites: Enter the full HTTP or HTTPS web address to include clickable web URLs alongside your local files.
Drag-and-Drop: You can bypass menus entirely by selecting files or folders in Windows File Explorer and dropping them directly into the TrayDir window. Organizing with Virtual Folders and Separators
Virtual Folders: If you want to group unrelated files together without moving their physical locations on your hard drive, you can create a Virtual Folder.
Separators: Use separator lines to break your right-click list into clean, thematic sections (e.g., separating work files from entertainment links).
Reordering: Drag and drop items up or down within the configuration window to change how they appear in the system tray menu. Managing Multiple “Instances”
One of TrayDir’s best features is its support for Instances. An instance is a distinct group of links that gets its own dedicated icon in the system tray.
Click the + icon next to the instance name to open a new tab and build a completely separate menu.
You can change the tray icon for each instance by clicking Options and browsing for a custom image file, making it easy to visually distinguish your menus. Accessing Your Files
Once configured and saved, look at the bottom right corner of your taskbar (the system tray). Locate your custom icon, right-click it, and your personalized file hub will instantly pop up. Left-clicking any item opens it instantly, just as if you clicked it inside File Explorer.
To make sure your files are always ready, look into the tool’s options menu to enable Run at Windows Startup.
If you are setting this up, let me know what specific types of files or workflows you are looking to organize so I can suggest the best way to structure your virtual folders and instances! GitHub – SamuelSVD/TrayDir
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