Pin to Taskbar and Pin to Start Menu Missing from Context Menu Fix

How to Restore Missing "Pin to Taskbar" and "Pin to Start Menu" Context Menu Items in Windows 7 Shortcuts​

   Information

If you have the Pin to Taskbar and Pin to Start Menu options missing from the context menu of shortcuts in Windows 7, then this will show you how to restore them.

   Note

This is usually caused by trying to remove the shortcut overlay arrow icon using the improper XP method of deleting the IsShortcut string value from the HKEY_CLASSES\ROOT\lnkfile key in the registry instead of using the proper Windows 7 method.

EXAMPLE: "Pin to Taskbar "and "Pin to Start Menu" Default and Missing
NOTE: You may also notice some context menu items appearing twice when IsShortcut is deleted.


Here's How: 1. Double check to make sure that you have pinning to taskbar enabled.

2. Download and merge the lnk (LNK) option in the tutorial below, then restart the computer. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html

   Tip

If this doesn't help to restore Pin to Start Menu and Pin to Taskbar to the context menu, then see also:

• How to Add or Remove "Pin to Start Menu" from Context Menu in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Pin to Taskbar" from Context Menu in Windows 7 and Windows 8

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Pin a Folder, Drive, and Library to the Start Menu in Windows 7
• How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Start Menu
• How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• Fix Empty Favorites in Navigation Pane Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Fix Manage "File does not have a program associated with it" Error
• How to Disable or Enable "Context Menus" and "Dragging and Dropping" in the Start Menu
• How to Backup and Restore Pinned Taskbar Items in Windows 7
• How to Reset and Clear All Pinned Items on the Taskbar in Windows 7
• How to Backup and Restore Pinned Start Menu Items in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Taskbar Pinned Programs
• How to Add or Remove "Pin to Start Menu" from Context Menu in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Pin to Taskbar" from Context Menu in Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[StalkeR]

Nice tutorial Brink

Sent from my Xperia X8

 

[Brink]

Nice device. Thank you sir.

 

[The Howling Wolves]

Brink,
I think LPt was having trouble with this at one time....maybe recently.
Great Tutorial...+1

 

[Brink]

Thank you Dennis.

Yeah, deleting IsShortcut will cause all sorts of issues in Windows 7 and Vista.

 

[monster40]

Hello Brink,
I have a problem, here is some pics. What is going on with my pinned icons? Any idea ?




I already run these .reg files but i cant see any difference before and after their launch.

 

[Brink]

Hello Monster, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Could you give me a description of the issue you are having with them? I'm not sure what I'm suppose to be looking for in your screenshots.

 

[monster40]

Hello Monster, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Could you give me a description of the issue you are having with them? I'm not sure what I'm suppose to be looking for in your screenshots.

First, sorry for my bad english
the forum is great but i cant find what i search.

do you see my pics, btw ?

i cant put any icons in the taskbar, just can't pin icons..
1. i've try to drag and drop icons to taskbar (to pin them) - failed
2. i've try to copy and paste any icons in the hidden folder (C:\users\***\appdata\roaming\microsoft\internet explorer\quick launch\user pinned\task bar) - failed
3. launch .reg files that you provide, restart the computer and try again - failed

i dont know what to do...

 

[Brink]

Monster,

Do you have the "Pin to Taskbar" option in the context menu of the programs you wanted to pin to the taskbar?

In your last screenshot below, change the items that are set to "Disabled" to "Not configured" to see if that may help.

 

[monster40]

Yes Brink,
I have "Pin to taskbar" in context menu, but it doesnt work. when i click on it.. for example - On Skype icon (not on shortcut) - it doesnt appear on taskbar, but it figure in the hidden folder :shock:

 

[Brink]

Monster,

As a test, create a new administrator account for yourself to see if it works properly while logged in the new account. If it does, then you could just copy what you like from the old account, and delete the old account when finished.

 

[monster40]

Brink,
it works
the problem was that I was manually deleted IsShortcut from HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/lnkfile

I have a .reg file that repair all shortcuts..
i hate the arrow on shortcuts and in XP there is no problem to del it, but in windows 7.... who knows

hope to help to somebody with the atteched file ;]
nice work

Thanks a lot, and happy new year for everyone!
Greetings from BULGARIA!

 

[Brink]

That's great news Monster.

Yeah, deleting the IsShortcut registry entry was the way to remove the shortcut arrow in XP, but it's not to be used in Vista and Windows 7 for reasons you have found out why for.

If you like you could use the tutorial below for how to remove the shortcut arrow in Windows 7.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3606-shortcut-arrow-change-remove-restore.html

 

[Neo Anderson]

Work Around Or Quick Fix Pin To Start Menu

Hold down the Shift key while right clicking & pin to or unpin will appear as the option that was missing. I found it somewhere. Don't remember where, but I did remember what key it was. the example i'm using is I pinned to start menu an .Rtf document & it worked. Hope this helps lots of people

 

[adj]

Cannot make this tweak work - pin still not in tight-click menu

Hi, Brink.
Whether through idiocy (mine) or malice aforethought (M-s**t's), I cannot make this work.

Have
a) enabled pinning to taskbar (at least I downloaded rigth-clicked "merge" for enable_taskbar_pinned_programs, with response "successfully added to registry")
b) downloaded and right-clicked to merge the lnk widget

But the right-click on e.g. Downloads or Thunderbird still gives me just the following:

Open
Open folder location
Include in library - Docs/Music/Pics/Video
Restore previous version
Send to - Compressed / Desktop/ Docs / Fax recipient / Mail recip./ DVD drive E: / BD drive F:
/Removable Disk H:
Cut
Copy
Create shortcut
Delete
Rename
Properties
***********************************************
For what it's worth, this is a new installation of W7 Ultimate (old one stopped working so no repair-install possible) on the C disk of the following set-up:

Mainboard : Asus M4N78-AM
> Chipset : nVidia GeForce 8200
> Processor : AMD Phenom II X4 810 @ 2600 MHz
> Physical Memory : 4096 MB (2 x 2048 DDR2-SDRAM )
> Video Card : NVIDIA GeForce 8200
> Hard Disk : ST3320418AS (320 GB)
> Hard Disk : ST3320418AS (320 GB)
> DVD-Rom Drive : HL-DT-ST DVD-RAM GH22NP20 ATA Device
> DVD-Rom Drive : HL-DT-ST BD-RE BH08LS20 ATA Device
> Monitor Type : Idek Iiyama PL2409HD - 23 inches
> Network Card : MCP77 Ethernet
> Network Card : RT2561/RT61 rev B 802.11g

******************************************

Grateful if you can suggest what I am doing wrong (and thanks, as so often, for your indefatigablenessitude in trying to make everyone's life a little happier). adj

 

[Brink]

Hello adj,

Are these folders or applications that you are trying to pin?

Folders will not have "Pin to taskbar" in their context menu. Only applications (ex: .exe file) will.

 

[adj]

Hello adj,

Are these folders or applications that you are trying to pin?

Folders will not have "Pin to taskbar" in their context menu. Only applications (ex: .exe file) will.

Thanks for swift response: they are typically applications for the taskbar, e.g. Thunderbird - but it would be useful to have Downloads in the Start Menu (think I have had it automatically before, when W7 installed, but seems to have dropped out this time)

 

[Brink]

While folders cannot be pinned to the taskbar, you could add them as toolbars, or create shortcuts of them in Quick Launch.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9305-taskbar-pin-unpin-folder.html

Do you have both pin context items for files on an internal hard drive?

Since this is a removable drive, you may be able to create a shortcut for the file at a location on your internal drive, then pin the shortcut to your taskbar or Start menu.

 

[adj]

problem largely solved though mysteries remain

While folders cannot be pinned to the taskbar, you could add them as toolbars, or create shortcuts of them in Quick Launch.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9305-taskbar-pin-unpin-folder.html

Do you have both pin context items for files on an internal hard drive?

Since this is a removable drive, you may be able to create a shortcut for the file at a location on your internal drive, then pin the shortcut to your taskbar or Start menu.

A. Thank you for all your help
B. Sorry for delay but work intervened.
C. After 3 re-boots, the "pin to taskbar / start menu" options appeared in right-click menu, so that's done, even if W7 took its time getting there.
D. In meantime tried your "Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a folder" tutorial, with very mixed results, and will log them there.
E Don't understand your query re having things on internal hard drive, since all this version of W7 is on disk 0, the C drive of this pc, but probably not important now.
F. Many, many thanks again and best wishes, A

 

[Brink]

ADJ,

I'm happy to hear this part is sorted. I'll see at the other tutorial for pinning folders as toolbars.