Taskbar - Pin or Unpin a Program

How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Taskbar​

   Information

This will show you how to Pin or Unpin a .exe file or shortcut of a installed program to the Windows 7 taskbar as a icon on the taskbar.

   Note

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

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

The default icon links on the taskbar is Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and Windows Explorer (opens to Libraries).

   Tip

Each program icon pinned to the taskbar can be opened by pressing the Windows key + 1 to 0 (1-10) keyboard shortcuts. You would use a number for how the program icons are ordered on the taskbar from left to right (for top or bottom) or top to bottom (for left or right) desktop location.

   Warning

You will need to have Recent Items turned on to see the recent items in a pinned program's Jump List.

EXAMPLE: New Taskbar

OPTION ONE

To Pin a Program to the Taskbar

NOTE: You can use step 2 or 3 to pin a folder in the Windows Explorer taskbar icon jump list.
1. Right click on a program exe file or shortcut that you want to pin to the taskbar, and click on Pin to Taskbar. (See screenshot below)

OR

2. Drag a file that has a program associated for it (ex: .txt file for Notepad) to a empty area on the taskbar until you see the Pin to (program name) (ex: Pin to notepad.exe) pop-up, then drop it. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This will pin the program (ex: Notepad) to the taskbar with the file (ex: txt) included in it's right click menu.

OR

3. Drag a program .exe file or shortcut (ex: CCLeaner), to a empty area of the taskbar until you see the Pin to Taskbar pop-up, then drop it. (See screenshot below)

OR

4. Right click on a open window taskbar button or icon that you want to pin to the taskbar, and click on Pin this program to the Taskbar. (See screenshot below)

OR

5. Pin to program's jump list. (See screenshot below)

OPTION TWO

To Unpin a Program to the Taskbar

1. Right click on a pinned taskbar icon link that you want to unpin, and click on Unpin this program from the Taskbar. (See screenshot below)

OR

2. Unpin from program's jump list. (See screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• 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 Pin or Unpin a Folder to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Pin or Unpin Items in Windows 7 Jump Lists
• How to Enable or Disable Pinning and Unpinning of Items in Windows 7 Jump Lists
• How to Pin Computer to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Pin the Recycle Bin to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Pin Your User Files Folder to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Taskbar Pinned Programs
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Taskbar Button Grouping
• How to Use Small or Large Icons on the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Start Menu
• How to Enable or Disable QuickLaunch in Windows 7
• 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 Turn Recent Programs On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Change the Windows 7 Pinned Windows Explorer Taskbar Icon Open To Target
• How to Open and Use Windows 7 Start Menu and Taskbar Jump Lists
• How to Change the Windows 7 Taskbar Icon Width Size
• How to Center the Taskbar Icons in Windows 7
• How to Create a Internet Website Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Pin or Unpin a Drive to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• 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 Taskbar" from Context Menu in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to "Pin to Taskbar" Transparent Invisible Icons for Programs in Windows 7
• How to Create a Shortcut of a File, Folder, Drive, or Program in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8

 

[njcotjn]

I have ever done, but now I can't

please help me! thanks

I have done, but now I unpin this program, I can't do it again.

 

[Brink]

Hello Njcotjn, and welcome to Windows 7 Forums.

You should be able to drag the program's shortcut or EXE file onto a empty space on the taskbar again to pin it. Check to make sure that you had dragged it down far enough on the taskbar.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[skunksmash]

great tutorial Shawn.....

no more objectdock for me!!

SK

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Mitch.

LOL, I must admit that I find myself still using both.

 

[njcotjn]

I tried lock new taskbar and unlock again

I can't do it , too
May be i unable "pin to taskbar" ??
please help me, i don't want reinstall win.

 

[Brink]

Njcotjn,

Was the CCleaner icon still on the taskbar after you have pinned and closed CCleaner?

Have you tried dragging and dropping the shortcut onto the taskbar?

 

[njcotjn]

I tried. I have done 3 day ago. Now I can't.
I locked it? I don't know to repair it.

 

[Brink]

It would not hurt to unlock it again to see if that may be the problem. If not, you might do a System Restore with a restore point dated before it stopped working.

 

[FrAgZoU]

Hey i dunno if it's a bug but i can't get the "Computer" shorcut pinned. It's always Windows Explorer that keep coming back when i close it.

Is it a bug or it can't just be done ?

Thanks !

 

[Brink]

Hello FrAgZoU,

Since Windows 7 considers Computer just another Windows Explorer folder, it will be grouped and pinned inside the pinned user folder (Windows Explorer) on the taskbar. After you drag Computer to the taskbar, click on the arrow to the right of the pinned user folder (hover pointer over to see arrow). You will then see Computer listed under the Pinned area in that box.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[ourfear]

hi all, I installed a ramdisk in win7, and it has a drive id "R:"

I have a Full firefox 3 in the ramdisk, the path is: r:\firefox\firefox.exe

when I pin the firefox.exe to taskbar, and click the task icon, win7 will create a new task icon for the firefox session instead of a combine icon with the origin one.

also, I put the whole firefox directory to driver C: , do same action as above, it works as it should.

maybe win7 does not think ramdisk as a local drive?

or it is a bug of win7 super task bar?

sorry my bad english.

 

[Brink]

Hello Ourfear, and welcome to Seven Forums.

See if you can create a shortcut in your Start Menu (or where you like in Vista) to the Firefox.exe on the ramdisk, then drag a copy of that shortcut to the taskbar to see if that may work better. If not, then you will have to leave it installed on the C: drive instead for it to work properly.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[ourfear]

Hello Ourfear, and welcome to Seven Forums.

See if you can create a shortcut in your Start Menu (or where you like in Vista) to the Firefox.exe on the ramdisk, then drag a copy of that shortcut to the taskbar to see if that may work better. If not, then you will have to leave it installed on the C: drive instead for it to work properly.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

hi Shawn, I tried your suggestion, but it still opens a new task icon

also I can't move it to C: drive because of I use a SSD drive, that's why I moved firefox to ramdisk to speedup.

 

[Brink]

Ourfear,

Double check to make sure that you have taskbar grouping set to "Always combine..".

You said that it worked like this though:

also, I put the whole firefox directory to driver C: , do same action as above, it works as it should.

It could be a bug since this is still a pre beta version of Windows 7. You should send a feedback report to Microsoft to help make them aware of it. Hopefully they will fix it in a newer version.

 

[ourfear]

hi Brink,

Yes I confirmed, the "Taskbar grouping" option is "Always combine, hide labels".

I already sent a feedback to MS, thank you for help!

 

[Brink]

No problem Ourfear. I hope it gets fixed in the next release for you.

 

[igorstaro]

Is there any way to get the old taskbar back from Vista,don~t really like this one for some reason?

 

[Brink]

Hello Igorstaro, and welcome to Seven Forums.

About the closest you can come to it in Windows 7 is to use the Never Combine or Combine when full option here:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/496-taskbar-button-grouping-enable-disable.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[igorstaro]

I knew that thank for your fast reply,I just hate the huge Msn down in taskbar and that I can't put My Computer shortcut there too.Greetings