Backup and Restore Backup and Restore Pinned Items on Taskbar in Windows 11


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Pin_to_Taskbar_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to back up and restore all pinned items on your taskbar in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

The taskbar in Windows 11 shows the Start menu, Search, Task View, Widgets, Chat, File Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Store buttons (icons) aligned to the center by default.

The taskbar will also show the icon of the app for any window you have open. If you like, you can pin an app to the taskbar to always show the app's icon on the taskbar whether the app is open or not. Pinning an app to the taskbar makes it easier to open the app on demand from the taskbar.

Items you pin to the taskbar are stored and referenced in both locations below for your account.

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

In a folder:
%AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar


Contents



EXAMPLE: Pinned items on taskbar

Pinned_items_on_taskbar.png






OPTION ONE

Backup Pinned Items on Taskbar


1 Sign in to the account you want to back up pinned items on the taskbar.

2 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below

Backup-Pinned_Apps_on_Taskbar.bat


(Content of BAT file for reference)
Code:
mkdir "%userprofile%\Desktop\Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup\TaskBar"

copy /y "%AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar" "%userprofile%\Desktop\Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup\TaskBar"

REG EXPORT HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband "%userprofile%\Desktop\Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup\Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup.reg" /y

3 Save the .bat file to the Desktop.

4 unblock the .bat file.

5 Double click/tap on the .bat file to run it.

6 You will now notice a command prompt quickly open and close to save a Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup folder on the Desktop that includes
the backup of pinned items on the taskbar.

7 You can move the Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup folder to where you want to keep it saved at.

The name of the Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup folder and its contents must remain exactly the same to be able to restore using Option Two.


8 You can now delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.





OPTION TWO

Restore Pinned Items on Taskbar


1 Sign in to the account you want to restore pinned items on the taskbar.

2 Copy the Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup folder from Option One to the Desktop.

3 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below

Restore-Pinned_Apps_to_Taskbar.bat


(Content of BAT file for reference)
Code:
DEL /F /S /Q /A "%AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\*"

copy /y "%userprofile%\Desktop\Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup\TaskBar" "%AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar"

REG DELETE HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband /F

REG IMPORT "%userprofile%\Desktop\Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup\Taskbar-Pinned-Items-Backup.reg"

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe

start explorer.exe

4 Save the .bat file to the Desktop.

5 unblock the .bat file.

6 Double click/tap on the .bat file to run it.

7 You will now notice a command prompt quickly open and close, and your screen flicker as the explorer process is restarted to apply.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

Attachments

  • Pin_to_Taskbar.png
    Pin_to_Taskbar.png
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  • Backup-Pinned_Apps_on_Taskbar.bat
    548 bytes · Views: 304
  • Restore-Pinned_Apps_to_Taskbar.bat
    642 bytes · Views: 381
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