Windows 10: Pin File to Taskbar in Windows 10

How to: Pin File to Taskbar in Windows 10

How to Pin any File to the Taskbar in Windows 10


Information Usually you can only pin apps to the taskbar in Windows 10.

This tutorial will show you how to pin any file to the taskbar for your account in Windows 10.


Note If you have Hide app icons on the taskbar in tablet mode.

When you open a file (ex: text file) pinned to the taskbar, it will still show a separate icon on the taskbar for its default app (ex: Notepad).




CONTENTS:

• Option One: Pin File to Taskbar
• Option Two: Unpin File from Taskbar

EXAMPLE: File pinned to taskbar















OPTION ONE [/i] Pin File to Taskbar
1. Open File Explorer (Win+E), and navigate to the file you want to "Pin to taskbar".

2. Make sure that you have File name extension checked in the View tab of the ribbon. (see screenshot below)



3. Right click or press and hold on the file you want to "Pin to taskbar", and click/tap on Rename. Rename the file extension (ex: ".txt") of the file to .exe. (see screenshot below)


Note Be sure to make note of what the original file extension (ex: ".txt") is for the file. You will need to know this in the later steps.



4. Click/tap on Yes to confirm renaming the file extension. (see screenshot below)



5. Drag and drop this renamed file to the taskbar to Pin to Taskbar. (see screenshot below)



6. Right click or press and hold on the renamed file in File Explorer, and click/tap on Rename. Rename the file extension .exe of the file back to its original file extension (ex: ".txt") . (see screenshot below)



7. Click/tap on Yes to confirm renaming the file extension. (see screenshot below)



8. Right click or press and hold on the icon of the pinned file on the taskbar to open its jump list, right click or press and hold on the file (ex: "Example File") in the jump list, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot below)



9. In the Target field, rename the file extension .exe of the file back to its original file extension (ex: ".txt"), and click/tap on Apply. (see screenshots below)





10. Click/tap on the Change Icon button. (see screenshot below)



11. Select an icon you want to use for the icon of the file pinned to the taskbar, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)


Note If you like, you can click/tap on Browse to navigate to and select an icon or icon library you want to use instead.

The most common icons used in Windows 10 are located in the files below:

• C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll
• C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll

11. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)



12. Restart the explorer process to apply the icon change on the taskbar for the pinned file.





OPTION TWO [/i] Unpin File from Taskbar
1. Right click or press and hold on the file pinned to the taskbar. (see screenshot below)

2. Click/tap on Unpin from taskbar.





That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to 'Pin to taskbar' and 'Unpin from taskbar' Apps in Windows 10
• How to 'Pin to taskbar' Folder and Drive in Windows 10
• How to Pin and Unpin People Contacts on Taskbar in Windows 10
• How to Backup and Restore Pinned Apps on Taskbar in Windows 10
• How to Reset and Clear All Pinned Apps on Taskbar in Windows 10
• How to Add Toolbars on the Taskbar in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Quick Launch toolbar in Windows 10

:)

 

How to pin shortcut to start menu.

Thanks Mayank. I am trying to pin shortcuts to the taskbar. I did find the link you sent but it did not cover pinning items to the taskbar to stay. It suggested an option that does not exist in the version of Windows 10 I downloaded on July 29. It suggests
that there are three options: pin to start, pin to taskbar, open file location. All I see is pin to start and open file location. I am beginning to think this is another Windows 10 quirk.

 

No option to pin .exe file in taskbar

Original Title: windows 10 on surface 3: Is there a way to pin an executable file that is on the memory card?

I have an executable file (program file but just that it can be run without installation) on memory card in the memory expansion slot of surface 3. I can pin it to start but no option found to pin it to taskbar.

Is it possible to pin it to taskbar?