Windows 7: Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Folder

   Information

This will show you how to pin a folder to the taskbar as a toolbar with a small or large custom icon, and with or without a text name in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

   Note

The pinned taskbar items are located in this hidden systen folder:

C:\Users\(User-Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar

   Tip

You can use this tutorial to pin either one of these hidden folders below to simulate the Classic Start Menu.
NOTE: Leave the arrows to expand the folder by.

Start Menu Used By Current User Account Only:
C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Start Menu Used By All User Accounts:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

OPTION ONE

To Pin a Folder Directly to the Taskbar

   Note

This option will show you a workaround to pin a folder directly to the taskbar that behaves the same as any other pinned program to the taskbar.

1. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder that you want to pin to the taskbar.

2. Right click on the folder, click on Send to and Desktop (create shortcut), and close Windows Explorer.

3. On the desktop, right click on the folder shortcut, click on Properties, Shortcut tab, type explorer in front of the Target path of the folder leaving a space inbetween them, and click on Apply. (see example screenshots below)

4. In the same Shortcut tab, click on the Change Icon button. (see screenshots above)

5. In the Change Icon window, type imageres.dll in the "look for" field and press Enter, then select the folder icon and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You can use any icon that you would like to have displayed on the taskbar for this folder though.

6. Click on OK. (see screenshots below step 3)

7. Right click on the folder shortcut on the desktop, and click on Pin to Taskbar. You can also drag and drop the pinned folder icon to where you like within the other pinned icons on the taskbar.

8. When finished, you can delete the folder shortcut on the desktop if you like. It will not affect the pinned folder icon.

OPTION TWO

To Pin or Unpin a Folder as a Toolbar to Taskbar

   Note

You cannot pin a root folder directly to the taskbar using this option. Instead, you can only pin a subfolder in that root folder instead. You just need to make sure that there is only one subfolder in the root folder though. If not, then the other subfolders in the root folder will show up on the taskbar as well. For example, if you selected your C:\Users\(User-name) folder instead to pin the My Music in the example in step one below, then you would have all of the (User-Name) subfolders pinned to the taskbar as well since they are all subfolders in the C:\Users\(User-name) root folder.

1. Unlock the taskbar.

2. Right click on a empty space on the taskbar and click on Toolbars and New toolbar. (see screenshot below)

3. Navigate to the folder (ex: C:\Users\(user-name)\My Music) and select it, then click on the Select Folder button. (see screenshot below)

4. Right click on the dotted lines, then uncheck Show Title by clicking on it. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you leave Show Title checked, then the icon of the selected folder (step 3) will not show, and only the folder name would.

5. To Select a Small or Large Folder Icons

A) Right click on the dotted separator line, then click on View and select either Large Icons or Small Icons for the folder on the taskbar. (See screenshots below)

6. To Keep or Remove Folder Text Name

A) Right click on the dotted separator line, then click on View and click on Show Text to check (keep) or uncheck (remove) the folder name. (See screenshots below)

7. To Keep the Folder on Right Side of Taskbar

A) Left click on the dotted separator line and hold, then drag it to the left and right to make any adjustments to how you want the folder positioned on the right side of the taskbar. (see screenshot below)

B) Release the left click when done.

C) Go to step 9.

8. To Have the Folder on Left Side of Taskbar

A) Left click on the dotted separator line of the pinned taskbar programs on the far left side and hold, then drag it to the right past the folder and release. (see screenshot below)

B) Left click on the dotted separator line of the pinned taskbar programs on the now right side and hold, then drag it to the left next to the folder and release. (see screenshot below)

9. Lock the taskbar.

10. You now have a pinned folder on the taskbar. (See example screenshots at the top of the tutorial)

11. You can now open the pinned folder and put whatever other files, folder, or shortcuts you want in this folder as you would any other folder for easy access to them from the taskbar.

12. To Unpin a Folder from the Taskbar

A) Right click on a empty space on the taskbar, click on Toolbars, and click on the pinned folder (step 3) to uncheck and remove it from the taskbar. (see screenshot below)