Solved Pin shortcut to taskbar

rigsby · Jan 2, 2024

I'm back again!

Here are screenshots of the properties of a desktop shortcut I want to pin to either Start or the Taskbar. The shortcut opens the settings page of a Network Attached Storage device. With your help, I've learnt in recent days that with other shortcuts, the term "Explorer" has to be added to precede the target of the shortcut, but there is no such field in the properties of this one. Again, in Windows 10 and before, such shortcuts could be dragged onto the taskbar, but not anymore. Can anyone help please?

glasskuter · Jan 2, 2024

It would take one extra mouse click to get to it, but maybe the "poor Man's" version of the old quick launch would work for you"

Here's how.

1. Browse to C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\
(NOTE: you have to have "show hidden files" enabled in folder options to see this folder.)
Within this folder create a sub-folder and name it Quick Launch or whatever you want.

2. Make a shortcut to this new QuickLaunch folder on your desktop but add
C:\windows\explorer.exe in front of the location path like this:
C:\Windows\explorer.exe C:\Users\glass\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch.

3. Assign this shortcut an icon. (Right click on desktop shortcut-properties-change icon-select an icon-apply-OK) Now put anything you want into this folder. (I've got files, folders, links, other shortcuts in mine)

4. Pin the shortcut to taskbar

FDretired · Jan 2, 2024

https://www.digitalcitizen.life/how-pin-any-folder-windows-7-taskbar/

rigsby · Jan 2, 2024

FDretired said:
https://www.digitalcitizen.life/how-pin-any-folder-windows-7-taskbar/

Thanks @FDretired that's a good solution for pinning folder shortcuts, but the one I'm working with is a shortcut to a Network location.

rigsby · Jan 2, 2024

glasskuter said:
It would take one extra mouse click to get to it, but maybe the "poor Man's" version of the old quick launch would work for you"

Here's how.

1. Browse to C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\
(NOTE: you have to have "show hidden files" enabled in folder options to see this folder.)
Within this folder create a sub-folder and name it Quick Launch or whatever you want.

2. Make a shortcut to this new QuickLaunch folder on your desktop but add
C:\windows\explorer.exe in front of the location path like this:
C:\Windows\explorer.exe C:\Users\glass\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch.

3. Assign this shortcut an icon. (Right click on desktop shortcut-properties-change icon-select an icon-apply-OK) Now put anything you want into this folder. (I've got files, folders, links, other shortcuts in mine)

4. Pin the shortcut to taskbar

Many thanks @glasskuter. I've done that and it works. As you say, an additional access step is required, but it's not the end of the world. Microsoft are claiming Windows 11 is the most accessible ever, so why have they made this sort of stuff so much more complicated.

Ghot · Jan 2, 2024

rigsby said:
so why have they made this sort of stuff so much more complicated.

Edwin · Jan 2, 2024

rigsby said:
The shortcut opens the settings page of a Network Attached Storage device.

Where is that page located..., what does it look like?

rigsby · Jan 2, 2024

Edwin said:
Where is that page located..., what does it look like?

Hi @Edwin
In Windows Explorer, Go to This PC > Network and you get a page showing all your connected devices. In my case it is the MyCloud NAS I am working with. A shortcut to it's location can then be created.

Edwin · Jan 2, 2024

rigsby said:
A shortcut to it's location can then be created.

Yeah, but you said Settings Page..., what do mean by Settings Page?

rigsby · Jan 2, 2024

Edwin said:
Yeah, but you said Settings Page..., what do mean by Settings Page?

I meant the browser page for the settings of the NAS which loads at it's IP address. I know I can create a browser shortcut to that IP address, but it can get allocated different IP's when and if my router is restarted and I don't want to fix it at one either. Doing it this way avoids pointing a shortcut at a specific IP address and allows it to open at whichever one it was last allocated.

Edwin · Jan 2, 2024

rigsby said:
Doing it this way avoids pointing a shortcut at a specific IP address and allows it to open at whichever one it was last allocated.

So, if you open that drive in Explorer, does it show a specific address in the Explorer address bar?

rigsby · Jan 2, 2024

Edwin said:
So, if you open that drive in Explorer, does it show a specific address in the Explorer address bar?

No, It opens up it's current IP address homepage in the default browser

Edwin · Jan 2, 2024

rigsby said:
No, It opens up it's current IP address homepage in the default browser

And..., seeing as how that address may or may not become dynamic, you'd rather not pin that specific address to the Taskbar, correct?

There has to be a shell location for that drive, hidden somewhere in the woodwork..., if you can find that out, you should be able to pin it and have it function the way you desire...

rigsby · Jan 2, 2024

Edwin said:
And..., seeing as how that address may or may not become dynamic, you'd rather not pin that specific address to the Taskbar, correct?

There has to be a shell location for that drive, hidden somewhere in the woodwork..., if you can find that out, you should be able to pin it and have it function the way you desire...

View attachment 82899

Yes, that's correct.

I get nervous messing with the registry and other parts of the woodwork. I've taken the solution @glasskuter suggested which is doing the job for now, albeit less elegantly than Windows 10 and previous did.

Edwin · Jan 2, 2024

rigsby said:
... less elegantly

Seems to be the MS way, lately!

Fair enough for now, then!

HuskerHarley · Jan 2, 2024

I like being able to drag a shortcut for my favorite websites onto the TaskBar.
If it's not easily accomplished, I'm keeping W-10 as long as possible.

rigsby · Jan 2, 2024

HuskerHarley said:
I like being able to drag a shortcut for my favorite websites onto the TaskBar.
If it's not easily accomplished, I'm keeping W-10 as long as possible.

It's do-able but not as straightforward as it was in earlier versions of Windows. I used to have my favourite websites in taskbar shortcut's. I now have them in the favourites bar of Edge. The whole taskbar behaviour and it's user options are just not as simple as they were. I'm now 6-days in on a new machine preinstalled with W11 Pro. It's a sharp learning curve!

glasskuter · Jan 2, 2024

rigsby said:
I used to have my favourite websites in taskbar shortcut's

I use the bookmarks bar in the browser too. But you can have bookmarks in the new folder, too if you want to.I dragged all the ones I had on my desktop into it.
I also use it to handle all by taskbar overflow icons of stuff I don't use often, but want access to without having to go back to desktop or open the start menu..

rigsby · Jan 2, 2024

glasskuter said:
I use the bookmarks bar in the browser too. But you can have bookmarks in the new folder, too if you want to.I dragged all the ones I had on my desktop into it.
I also use it to handle all by taskbar overflow icons of stuff I don't use often, but want access to without having to go back to desktop or open the start menu..

Good idea. Thanks