Start Menu - Pin or Unpin a Folder, Drive, and Library

Add or Remove "Pin to Start Menu" for a Folder, Drive, and Library in Windows 7 ​

   Information

By default, you can only pin programs to the Start menu in Windows 7 with the Pin to Start Menu context menu item. You could also drag a folder, drive, or library to the Start button until you see Pin to Start Menu and drop it to pin the folder, drive, or library to the Start Menu.

This will show you how to add Pin to Start Menu to the context menu of a folder, drive, or library for all users in Windows 7.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

   Note

From the Start menu All Programs area, you can only pin the folders you have added to All Programs and not any of the default Accessories, Administrative Tools, Maintenance, and Startup folders.

You can pin any folder, drive, or library from within Windows Explorer to the Start Menu.

EXAMPLE: "Pin to Start Menu" Enabled for Folders and Drives
NOTE: You will need to press and hold Shift and right click on a folder or drive to see Pin to Start Menu.



EXAMPLE: "Pin to Start Menu" Enabled for Libraries
NOTE: You will just need to right click on a library to see Pin to Start Menu.



Here's How:
1. To Enable Folder, Drive, and Library "Pin to Start Menu"
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Enable_Folder_Drive_Library_Pin_to_Start_Menu.reg

Download


B) Go to step 3.
2. To Disable Folder, Drive, and Library "Pin to Start Menu"
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Disable_Folder_Drive_Library_Pin_to_Start_Menu.reg

Download


3. Save the .reg file to the desktop.

4. Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.

5. Click on Run, Yes, Yes, and OK when prompted.

6. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Pin or Unpin a Folder to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Reset the Pin To Start Menu Area in Windows 7
• How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Start Menu
• How to Use Small or Large Icons in the Windows 7 Start Menu
• How to Hide or Show a Library in the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Turn the Library Pane On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Restore Missing "Pin to Taskbar" and "Pin to Start Menu" Context Menu Items in Windows 7 Shortcuts
• How to Add or Remove "Pin to Start Menu" from Context Menu in Windows 7

 

[xxxdannyxxx]

Hi All

Is it possible to have a pinned folder in the start menu act like a menu with an arrow to whats inside the folder like notepad/media player etc.

Thankyou

Danny

 

[Brink]

Hello Danny,

Not that I know of without using a 3rd party program like the free Start Menu 7 or Classic Shell.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[xxxdannyxxx]

Thanks Shawn thought it was a long shot

Danny

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Danny.

 

[spikens]

Huh?

Windows 7 already lets you pin/unpin folders by default-simply drag n drop onto the start button, no reg hack needed.

At least mine does. I have Home Premium. Don't the others have it too?

 

[Brink]

Hello Spikens, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The tutorial is just to be able to add the "Pin to Start Menu" and "Unpin from Start Menu" option to the right click context menu of all folders to be able to pin the folder using that option as well. That's all.

 

[spikens]

Haha

Hello Spikens, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The tutorial is just to be able to add the "Pin to Start Menu" and "Unpin from Start Menu" option to the right click context menu of all folders to be able to pin the folder using that option as well. That's all.

Haha. Boy, I missed that part didn't I.

 

[Brink]

LOL, no problem mate.

 

[spikens]

Brink-

I'm wondering if the manual reg hack here can be used to do this manually on my Home Premium32bit.

Start Menu - Pin Folder To - Vista Forums


I'm thinking YES.
Do you know?

 

[Brink]

Spikens,

Yes, it will work just as well in Windows 7 as Vista. They do the same thing at the end, but the only difference it this:

REG files from here adds this:
(part in red was added to make it easier to know what it was for versus below)
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\Pin to Start Menu]
@="{a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8}"

Manually there adds this:
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8}]

 

[spikens]

Cool

Spikens,

Yes, it will work just as well in Windows 7 as Vista. They do the same thing at the end, but the only difference it this:

REG files from here adds this:
(part in red was added to make it easier to know what it was for versus below)
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\Pin to Start Menu]
@="{a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8}"

Manually there adds this:
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8}]

Cool. Now I can have fun tinkering with the registry manually...tinkering so to speak.

This is a cool forum btw. I've come away with several things. Now I'll have to make a new disk image since I've changed so many things, lol.

 

[Brink]

Have fun mate.

 

[sryder32]

Doesn't work for me

Hello. I did the Merge routine and even restarted. but I do not see the Pin to Start menu when holding Shift and right-clicking on a folder. Any ideas?

Shelly

 

[Brink]

Hello Shelly, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I know this is silly, but did you use the Enable (step 1) REG file download? Have to ask.

I notice that you are using Enterprise. If you are part of a domain, then they may have policies in place preventing context menu additions.

Do you have the registry key at the location below added from the REG file? You'll have to scroll past the first set of file extensions.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\[B][COLOR=red]{a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8}[/COLOR][/B]

 

[gpk9]

Doesn't seem to work on Win 7 Home Starter.

 

[Brink]

Hello gpk9, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Did you press and hold Shift and right click on a folder or drive to see Pin to Start Menu?

 

[skwareone]

I was able to pin a folder to the Start Menu, but I was hoping to see a little arrow to the right that would show a list of all the stuff in the new pinned folder (like you colud do in XP). Any ideas on how to do that?

 

[Brink]

Hello skwareone, and welcome to Seven Forums.

By default, Windows 7 doesn't support expandable folders to be added to the Start Menu.

However, you could use the free program Classic Shell to do so.

Hope this helps,
Shawn