Vista Tutorial - Start Menu - Pin Folder To

**Brink** · **STEP ONE:**

How to Pin a Folder to the Start Menu in Vista

Information

By default in Vista, you are only able to pin a program or a program shortcut to the left white side of the Start Menu. This will show you how to also allow a folder or a folder shortcut to be pinned to the Start Menu.

NOTE

This will only add Pin to Start Menu to a folder, or folder shorcut, on the Desktop or in Windows Explorer. It does not add it for folders in the Start menu All Programs area.
It is best to Pin the actual source folder and not a shortcut to the folder. It is easier for a shortcut to be moved or deleted, causing the Pinned folder in the Start menu to not work anymore.

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Pin area of the Start Menu
NOTE: This is the left white side of the Start menu. If you would like to change the size of these icons to be large or small, then see: How to Display Small or Large Icons in the Vista Start Menu

STEP ONE:
How to Allow a Folder to be Pinned

Through a Download
1. To Add the Pin Folder Option -
A) Click on the download button below to download the Add_Pin_Folder.reg file.
B) Go to step 3.

2. To Remove the Pin Folder Option -
A) Click on the download button below to download the Remove_Pin_Folder.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.
4. Right click on the .reg file (on desktop) and click Merge.
5. Click Run button for Security Warning prompt.
6. Click Continue button for UAC prompt.
7. Click YES on Confirmation prompt.
8. Click OK on Success prompt.
9. When done, you can delete the .reg file (on desktop) if you want to.

Through the Manual Way:
1. Open Start Menu.
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.
3. Click Continue for UAC prompt.
4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 5A)
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers

5. To Add the Pin Folder Option -
A) In the left pane, right click on ContextMenuHandlers and click New and click Key.

B) Type {a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8} and press Enter. (See screenshot below step 6B)

6. To Remove the Pin Folder Option -
A) Right click on {a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8} and click Delete. (See screenshot below)
B) Click on Yes to confirm the deletion.

7. Close regedit.

STEP TWO:
How to Use Pin a Folder

OPTION ONE:
How to Pin a Folder to the Start Menu

WARNING

You must add the Folder Pin Option above first.

1. Press and hold the Shift key, then right click on the folder or folder shortcut that you want pinned to the Start Menu.
2. Click on Pin to Start Menu. (See screenshot below)

OPTION TWO:
How to Remove a Pinned Folder

NOTE

If you cannot get Vista to remove the pin, then see step two here: How to Fix Recent Programs Not Being Remembered in Vista

1. Right click on the pinned folder in the Start Menu.
2. Click on Remove from this list. (See screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn

MAD50 · 08-08-2008

Thank you for this post. I have used both the download and inputted the registry edit in the manual way. However, neither works.

When I hold shift and right click, the pin to start menu item does not appear.

Any suggestions or troubleshooting ideas?

Thanks!!

**Brink** · 08-08-2008

Hi MAD50, and welcome to Vista Forums.

It will not work on the folders or items that are in the Start menu All Programs, only from a folder in Windows Explorer. Is this what you were trying it on?

Shawn

MAD50 · 08-08-2008

Thanks for your prompt response.

Yes, all I am doing is navigating in explorer to a regular old folder and Shift, Right Clicking and the option does not come up.

Not sure if it matters, I am using Vista Ultimate

ethanohagan · 08-08-2008

	Quote:	MAD50
	Thanks for your prompt response. Yes, all I am doing is navigating in explorer to a regular old folder and Shift, Right Clicking and the option does not come up. Not sure if it matters, I am using Vista Ultimate

same here, on business

**Brink** · 08-08-2008

Try using the Add Pin Folder download option again and merge it. It seems to be working fine for me.

You may also need to close and reopen any Windows Explorer windows if you had them open when did the reg file merge. If that still does not help, then try logging off and on to see if it will work afterwards.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

ethanohagan · 08-08-2008

what did work for me (I think mine was complicated as I needed a pinned shortcut to a folder on a mapped network drive)

make desktop shortcut to C:\
right click, pin to start menu
right-click new pinned shortcut (note: on start menu), rename
right-click again, edit, make it a shortcut to wherever, enter
profit

appreciate the tip anyway and thanks for the new site to kill time on

Ethan

MAD50 · 08-08-2008

Thanks. I'll give that a go.

**Brink** · 08-08-2008

Your welcome Ethan, and thank you for posting your solution.

Shawn

**Brink** · 08-08-2008

	Quote:	MAD50
	Thanks. I'll give that a go.

MAD50,

If it still does not work for you then, this reg file below will restore all of the default {a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8} entries in the registry to have it work for you.

Restore_{a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8}.reg < Click to Download

Hope this helps,
Shawn