Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Folder

How to Pin or Unpin a Folder to Taskbar in Windows 7 and Windows 8​

   Information

This will show you how to pin a folder to the taskbar directly or 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

EXAMPLE: Folder Pinned on the Right Side of the Taskbar
NOTE: This with using OPTION TWO and the folder having a large icon with and without a text name.



EXAMPLE: Folder Pinned on the Left Side of the Taskbar
NOTE: This with using OPTION TWO and the folder having a large icon with and without a text name.

OPTION ONE

To Pin a Folder Directly to 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 (Windows 7) or File Explorer (Windows 8), navigate to the folder that you want to pin to the taskbar.

2. Right click or swipe down on the folder, click/tap on Send to and Desktop (create shortcut), and close Explorer.

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

4. In the same Shortcut tab, click/tap 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/tap 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/tap on OK. (see screenshots below step 3)

7. Right click or swipe down on the folder shortcut on your desktop, and click/tap on Pin to Taskbar. You could 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 your 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 or swipe down on an empty space on the taskbar, and click/tap 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/tap on the Select Folder button. (see screenshot below)

4. Right click or swipe down 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 or swipe down on the dotted separator line, then click/tap 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 or swipe down on the dotted separator line, then click/tap 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) Click/tap 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) Click/tap 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) Click/tap 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 or swipe down on an empty space on the taskbar, click/tap on Toolbars, and click/tap on the pinned folder (step 3) to uncheck and remove it from the taskbar. (see screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Open the Taskbar in Windows 8.1
• How to Move Taskbar Location in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Backup and Restore Taskbar Toolbars in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Reset and Clear All Taskbar Toolbars in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Pin a Folder, Drive, and Library to the Start Menu in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Quick Launch in Windows 7
• How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Use Small or Large Icons on the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Taskbar Button Grouping
• How to Lock or Unlock the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Move the Windows 7 Taskbar Location on the Desktop
• How to Show or Hide the Windows 7 Taskbar with Auto-hide
• How to Create a Windows 7 Windows Update Shortcut to Pin to Taskbar
• How to Change the Windows 7 Taskbar Icon Width Size
• How to Add or Remove the Desktop Toolbar on the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Center the Taskbar Icons in Windows 7
• How to Create a Internet Website Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Use Toolbars in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Pin or Unpin a Drive to Taskbar in Windows 7 and Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove a Toolbar on the Taskbar in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Adding and Removing Taskbar Toolbars in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Create a Shortcut of a File, Folder, Drive, or Program in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Change Default Open To Target of File Explorer Pinned to Taskbar in Windows 8.1

 

[Lol Froob]

Is there, by any chance, that I could pin my "downloads" link to the taskbar. I don't want to create a new taskbar; I want to pin them onto it so it actually opens the folder instead of displaying the contents in a list.

I can not currently do this because whenever I try to pin my "downloads" to the taskbar, it will just pin to another program that I already have pinned.

You can see from the picture that I already have my desktop linked as a new task bar. I don't want that; I want to replace the windows "explorer pin" with a "downloads pin". I'd appreciate it you could help me! Thanks!

Great tutorial btw, I never knew about creating another taskbar =). I am sure my downloads taskbar will come in handy!

 

[Brink]

Hello Froob,

You can use the path below along with the tutorial below to change the default open to location for the Windows Explorer taskbar icon.

%UserProfile%\Downloads

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2863-windows-explorer-taskbar-icon-change-open-target.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Lol Froob]

Yes, that is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Froob.

 

[rubrbndball]

how come it starts another explorer.exe process. does the same with cmd, too...

 

[Brink]

Hello Rubrbndball,

Which option did you use?

If you have another Windows Explorer icon pinned to the left of this one, then it's normal for it to open a new Windows Explorer window each time you click on the pinned folder icon. Any open Windows Explorer windows will be grouped in the farthest left (taskbar on bottom) or top (taskbar on side) pinned Windows Explorer icon.

 

[RajaSekharv]

First option is simple and works like a charm. Thanks for the information.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Raja, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[nevesswodniw]

Thanks Brink! Been searching how to do this... the default taskbar pinned explorer button only opens one instance, that is you have to right-click to open another, as the icon turns into the launched icon...absolutely hated this.

Now, with this, it will open explorer, and the original unlaunched pinned icon remains, so I can open another easily!

Thanks again.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome nevesswodniw.

 

[nevesswodniw]

Ok, it seems that if I want it to work like I want in my previous post, then you must keep the original windows explorer pinned to taskbar. If I unpin windows explorer, and have only "my computer" pinned, then the unlaunched icon turns into the launched icon.
But if I have both "windows explorer" and "my computer" pinned, then after clicking on the "my computer" icon, and new window ( and taskbar icon) is opened and the unlaunched "my computer" icon remains.

It would be better to have only the "my computer" icon, but if its the only way to get it working like that, then its fine...

 

[Brink]

Yeah, the pinned Computer shortcut will also need to remain to the right of the default My Computer (libraries) one for it to continue doing that as well. A strange quirk, but it does work.

 

[VenusandMars]

Re: Windows 7 - Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Folder sevenforums tip

Hi,

I cannot get this tip to work for me. What's extra frustrating is I have had difficulties with this before but have, somehow, got it to work. Not this time though.

As can be seen in the pic the title (Tools) shows but not the icon and the title is not clickable. Otherwise everything's just fine.

Please help, this is so frustrating:/
Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Hello Goran,

Which option did you use in the tutorial on the first page?

If Option Two, then it looks like you need to pick up at step 4.

 

[jwmghf]

Thanks m8!!!! Your guide worked like a charm!!!!!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome JW. Glad it could help.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hiyya Shawn me again mate I saw and followed I think I was tutorial in here on how to pin a specific document (that I use very frequently) onto the taskbar. I did this with one and cannot find the tutorial again. Could I bother you to point me in the right direction as it is driving me nuts having to open Word and search for this document I also want as a taskbar icon.

 

[adj]

Good morning, Brink - me again, I am afraid. Weird result with method 2: "Downloads" icon successfully placed at right-hand of toolbar, using method 2; but when icon clicked, instead of opening a Downloads window on Desktop, icon moves left and spreads icons for all the files in Downloads to its right. (This sounds as if it might be what ElQuia was asking for back in 2009, though I cannot remember now what actually happened in Vista.) Icons not much use as would not know what most of them were, so have scrappend that approach, and just pinned Downloads to the left of the Taskbar along with other pinned programs - that works.

 

[Brink]

Hello ADJ,

It sounds like Option One may work better for you instead.

In Option Two, once you move the toolbar to the left, you would need to move the border of a pinned item to the right of the toolbar over to the left far enough to compress all the items in the Downloads toolbar until you only see the Downloads folder and the expand arrow above it to the right a bit.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Now I have found an option to the taskbar and it is to pin the Document to the start menu.

The pic I posted was on my Ivy 7 machine so as I couldn't find any way of doing the same on the 8.1 laptop and in fact I find it easier to use and doesn't clutter the taskbar