Video: Restore the Address toolbar removed by Windows XP SP3

Normally docked on the Windows XP Task bar, the Address toolbar provides a convenient navigation alternative to the mouse. Enter a network or local folder path, and Explorer takes you there. Enter a URL, and your default Web browser opens the page.

Unfortunately, Microsoft removed the Address toolbar with Windows XP Service Pack 3. According to posts in the TechNet forums and a Microsoft KnowledgeBase article, the company made the change “in response to an issue that was raised by a regulatory agency.”

We can assume that Microsoft was concerned the Address toolbar would run afoul of the company’s antitrust settlement with the European Union. But fear not. If you’re frustrated by Microsoft’s elimination of the Address toolbar, you can get it back with a simple hack.

In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler shows you how to retrieve the Address toolbar after installing Windows XP SP3.

After watching the video, you can read Senior Editor Mark Kaelin’s article, “How do I… Return the Address bar Windows XP SP3 removed?”–the basis for this video.