How to Pin a Folder to the Taskbar in Windows 10 and Windows 11

Pinning folders to the Windows 10 and Windows 11 taskbar allows you to access frequently used folders directly from the desktop. While Windows doesn’t offer a direct option for this, there’s an easy workaround to make it possible. Here’s a step-by-step guide for both versions of Windows.

Steps to Pin a Folder to the Taskbar

To pin a folder to the taskbar, you need to create a folder shortcut and adjust its properties. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Create a Folder Shortcut

  1. Locate the folder you want to pin.
  2. Right-click on the folder and select “Create shortcut”. A new shortcut will appear in the same location as the folder.

Step 2: Modify the Shortcut Properties

  1. Right-click on the new shortcut and choose “Properties”.
  2. Go to the “Shortcut” tab.
  3. In the “Target” field, add the word explorer followed by a space before the folder path. For example: explorer C:\YourFolderPath.
  4. Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.

Step 3: Pin the Shortcut to the Taskbar

  1. Move the shortcut to the desktop if it’s not already there, then right-click on it.
  2. In the context menu, select “Pin to taskbar”.

That’s it! The folder shortcut is now pinned to your taskbar, making it easy to open directly from there.

Additional Steps for Windows 11

In Windows 11, the process is similar, though some users may find the “Pin to taskbar” option unavailable for certain folders. If this happens, try the following alternative method:

  1. Create the shortcut on the desktop as outlined above.
  2. Pin it to the Start menu by choosing “Pin to Start” from the right-click menu, then drag it to the taskbar.