Start Screen - Pin or Unpin App, Folder, or Drive in Windows 8

**IownAmoneyPit** · 09-15-2011

How to Pin or Unpin a App, Folder, or Drive on the "Start" Screen in Windows 8

Information

This tutorial will show you how to pin or unpin a app, folder, or drive on the Metro "Start" screen in Windows 8.

OPTION ONE

To Unpin from "Start" Screen in the "Start" Screen"

1. Open the "Start" screen.
NOTE: You could do this by pressing the Windows key.

2. Right click on one or more apps, folders, or drives that you want to unpin to select (check) them, then click on Unpin from Start in the bottom options bar. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: You can also right click on a selected app again to unselect it if you selected one by mistake.

OPTION TWO

To Pin or Unpin from "Start" Screen in the "Apps" Screen

1. Open the Apps screen, and do either step 2 or 3 below for what you would like to do.

2. To Unpin a App from the "Start" Screen in the "Apps" Screen

A) Right click on a listed app that you would like to unpin from the "Start" screen to select (check it), and click on Unpin from Start in the bottom options bar. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you do not see the Unpin from Start icon, then the app is not pinned to the "Start" screen and you would see Pin to Start instead.

B) Go to step 4.

3. To Pin a App to the "Start" Screen in the "Apps" Screen

A) Right click on a listed app that you would like to pin to the "Start" screen to select (check it), and click on Pin to Start in the bottom options bar. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you do not see the Pin to Start icon, then the app is already pinned to the "Start" screen and you would see Unpin from Start instead.

Tip

If the app is not listed in the "Apps" screen, then go to the hidden Start Menu system folder below in Windows Explorer, create a shortcut from the app's .exe file in the Start Menu folder path you want below, close Windows Explorer, then go back to step 2A to select the app.

For Your Account Only:
C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

For All User Accounts: (must be administrator)
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

B) Go to step 4.

4. The selected App will now be pinned or unpinned from the Metro "Start" screen.

5. Repeat these steps if you would like to pin or unpin another app from the "Start" screen.

OPTION THREE

To Pin to "Start" Screen in Windows Explorer

1. Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to the app, folder, or drive that you would like to pin to the "Start" screen.

2. Right click on the app, folder, or drive, and click on Pin to Start. (see screenshot below)

3. The app, folder, or drive will now be pinned to the Metro "Start" screen.

Related Tutorials

**brummyfan** · 09-16-2011

Thanks for this Tutorial.

**xxxdannyxxx** · 09-16-2011

Nice one thankyou
Danny

**kado897** · 09-16-2011

You can also then drag them around on the start menu and create a new group

.

**Dave76** · 09-18-2011

Nice tutorial, thanks.

**24c** · 09-18-2011

I have Acronis True Image 2011 and QuickBooks Pro 2008 installed, neither show up in Apps search. I can pin them to Taskbar through Windows Explorer though.

ETA - MY BAD - I unpinned both from Start Menu right after initial install. A re-install of Acronis and a Repair of QB and all is good. Stupid Piggy.

**IownAmoneyPit** · 09-18-2011

Originally Posted by 24c

I have Acronis True Image 2011 and QuickBooks Pro 2008 installed, neither show up in Apps search. I can pin them to Taskbar through Windows Explorer though.

Similar thing happened to me when I installed my logitech webcam but solved the problem by
finding the original application launcher in C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\logishrd\LWSPlugins\LWS\Applets\Launcher then created a shortcut to desktop then copy/pasting in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Logitech.

In conclusion sometimes the exe file or shortcut does not get natively installed in the normal Program Files/Program Files x86 > (Application name folder) or may be listed as an Application rather than an exe or shortcut therefore not appearing as an App.

The example I gave worked for that particular program but I had no luck trying to create a Windows Defender shortcut to see if it would appear as an App.

Another alternative is to create a Start Menu Toolbar - Create on Windows 8 Desktop Taskbar
which would contain all of your shortcuts + more could be added freeing up valuable taskbar space.

**24c** · 09-18-2011

Thanks IoAmP, all set for now, but who knows what info may be helpful in the future.

**imrazor** · 09-25-2011

Thanks a lot! Resolved a lot of confusion on my part. Is it just me, or is this not as intuitive as it should be?

**mikedl** · 09-25-2011

I couldn't get this to work with "cmd," along with a slew of other programs I haven't installed but are a part of Windows (installed programs work great in this instance).

Anyone else?

Granted - it's still pre-beta.

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Tutorial: Start Screen - Pin or Unpin App, Folder, or Drive in Windows 8

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