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Windows 7: Taskbar - Backup and Restore Pinned Items in Windows 7

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Taskbar - Backup and Restore Pinned Items in Windows 7

How to Back Up and Restore Pinned Taskbar Items in Windows 7
Published by Brink
06 Feb 2012
Published by
Brink's Avatar

How to Back Up and Restore Pinned Taskbar Items in Windows 7


information   Information
This will show you how to back up and restore your pinned taskbar items (program icons) automatically with one click in Windows 7.

This can be handy if you do not want to have to manually pin and restore your currently pinned taskbar items say after a clean install of Windows 7.

This only includes backing up and restoring your pinned programs and shortcuts on the taskbar, and not taskbar toolbars or Jump Lists.

Note   Note
By default, your pinned taskbar programs/shortcuts are saved in both locations below. This is what this tutorial will be backing up and restoring for you using a BAT file.

In the registry:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband

In the hidden TaskBar folder:
C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar


EXAMPLE: Pinned Programs on the Taskbar in Windows 7
Taskbar - Backup and Restore Pinned Items in Windows 7-example.jpg

Here's How:
1. Click on the Download buttom below to download the .bat file below, then run it.
Backup-Restore_Pinned_Taskbar_Items.bat

download
2. If prompted, click on Run, and do step 3 or 4 below for what you would like to do.
NOTE: If you like, you can stop getting the Run prompt by unblocking the downloaded .bat file.

3. To Back Up Pinned Items on your Taskbar
A) In the command prompt, type B and press Enter.

B) When finished, press any key to close the command prompt.
C) You will now have a Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup folder on your desktop that is the backup of your pinned taskbar items.

D) Move this folder to where you like for safe keeping.
NOTE: Do not rename this folder since it must remain the exact same name to be able to use it in step 4 below to restore your pinned taskbar items with.

E) If you like, you might also back up your Jump Lists as well.

4. To Restore Pinned Items on your Taskbar
A) If you have not already, make sure that any 3rd party programs that were pinned to your taskbar when the backup was created in OPTION ONE are still installed to the same location first.
NOTE: Since the pinned taskbar items are just shortcuts that point to the program, the programs must still be at the same location when the backup was created before restoring the pinned taskbar items.

B) Move or copy the Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup folder created from step 3 above to your desktop.

C) In the command prompt, type R and press Enter.

D) When finished, press any key to restart explorer and close the command prompt.

E) If you like, you might also restore your previously backed up Jump Lists as well.
That's it,
Shawn





Related Tutorials
08 Feb 2012   #1
stanley

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
19 posts
 
 
Hi Brink.
Does this back up the pinned to jumplist items too?Cause now that FF updates every once in a while i loose all of those and i have to replace them manually.
Thanks a lot.


My System SpecsSystem Spec
08 Feb 2012   #2
Brink

64-bit Windows 10 Pro
66,252 posts
 
 
Hello Stanley,

Sorry, but no. This will only backup ony the pinned icon on the taskbar and not it's Jump List.

However, I'm currently working on a tutorial that I'm fixing to post now that will backup and restore Jump Lists and pinned items in Jump Lists.

I'm still doing a few final tests with it to make sure it works properly, but I'll post back with a link to it when finished.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
08 Feb 2012   #3
Brink

64-bit Windows 10 Pro
66,252 posts
 
 
Ok Stanley. Fresh out of the tutorial oven.

Jump Lists - Backup and Restore in Windows 7
My System SpecsSystem Spec
.

21 Feb 2015   #4
monk1958

windows 7/64
3 posts
 
 
task bar restore
unfortunately the restore function does not work
My System SpecsSystem Spec
21 Feb 2015   #5
Brink

64-bit Windows 10 Pro
66,252 posts
 
 
Hello monk, and welcome to Seven Forums.

They do work, but the steps must be followed exactly for it to do so.

What are you seeing instead?
My System SpecsSystem Spec
23 Feb 2015   #6
monk1958

windows 7/64
3 posts
 
 
Thank you for your response
My problem is that every update to iTunes deletes my pinned icons. to make sure I can recreate the icons I did the following
1. downloaded your batch file
2. Ran the batch file
3. made sure a folder was created on Desktop (yes)
4. made sure reg file was created (yes)
5. made sure a copy of my pinned icons were in C:\Users\me\Desktop\Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup\TaskBar folder (yes)
5. created a "restore point" in windows (just in case)
6. downloaded iTunes update, installed it, LOST all my "pinned icons" ( only "IE" and "Windows explorer" still there)
7. checked what was in C:\Users\me\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar; only "IE" and "Windows explorer" was there
8. I made, again, sure the C:\Users\me\Desktop\Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup\TaskBar existed and reg file and shortcuts were there (yes)
9. i executed the batch file with R option; the batch file finished with
16 files copied
The operation completed successfully

messages
My task bar was not restored and the files are not in C:\Users\me\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar folder.
10. restarted my PC (still my task bar is empty)
any suggestion would be appreciated
thank you
My System SpecsSystem Spec
23 Feb 2015   #7
Brink

64-bit Windows 10 Pro
66,252 posts
 
 
As a test, reset your taskbar icons using the tutorial below in case you may have corruption.

Taskbar Pinned Items - Reset and Clear in Windows 7

Afterwards, pin what you want on the taskbar, and back them up again.

Unpin an item from the taskbar, then restore your backup to see if it restores the one you removed.

Please post screenshots of the command prompt when you backup and restore to see if anything in it may help.

Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums
My System SpecsSystem Spec
23 Feb 2015   #8
monk1958

windows 7/64
3 posts
 
 
Hi, i followed the instructions (clear task bar -> recreate-> backup -> delete -> restore) and this time it worked
Thank you very much for all your help. i was totally frustrated with how "apple" software works (deletes task bar shortcuts) and too quickly decided the restore function did not work.
thanks again
My System SpecsSystem Spec
23 Feb 2015   #9
Brink

64-bit Windows 10 Pro
66,252 posts
 
 
Great news.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Reply
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