How to Pin or Unpin Apps in Start and the Windows 11 Taskbar

To pin an app to the taskbar in Windows 11, open Start, right-click the app, and select Pin to taskbar. If the app is already open, right-click its taskbar icon and select Pin to taskbar instead. To remove it later, right-click the icon and select Unpin from taskbar. Once an app is pinned, you can remove its desktop icon without deleting the app.

Pin an App From the Start Menu

1. Select the Start button or press the Windows key.
2. Find the app in the Pinned section, or select All to see every app. You can also type the app’s name to search for it.
3. Right-click the app.
4. Select Pin to taskbar. In the full app list, this option may be under More.

Microsoft covers pinning in its Customize the taskbar guide.

Remove Start Pins Without Uninstalling Apps

Open Start, locate the app in its pinned section, right-click its pin and select Unpin from Start. Microsoft documents Start pins. To remove its persistent taskbar shortcut too, right-click the taskbar icon and select Unpin from taskbar, as in the taskbar section below. An open app can still appear there until you close it. Reopen Start to check the pin disappeared; search for the app to confirm it remains installed. Unpinning changes shortcuts, so it does not hide the app from Search or the installed-app list, prevent other users opening it, or uninstall it. To restore a Start pin, search for the app, right-click the result and choose Pin to Start. Start folders organize pins but do not make installed apps private.

Pin an App That’s Already Open

1. Open the app.
2. Right-click its icon on the taskbar.
3. Select Pin to taskbar.

The icon stays on the taskbar after you close the app. This is also the easiest way to pin Control Panel, Task Manager, and other system tools. If a pinned browser lists websites in its right-click menu, see how to hide most visited Chrome links from the taskbar right-click menu.

Pin a Desktop Shortcut

1. Right-click the shortcut on the desktop.
2. Select Show more options.
3. Select Pin to taskbar.

Pin a Folder to the Taskbar

Windows 11 doesn’t offer Pin to taskbar for folders directly, but a shortcut works.

1. Right-click the desktop and select New > Shortcut.
2. Type explorer.exe, a space, and the folder’s full path, like the example below. Select Next.

explorer.exe C:\Users\Public\Documents

3. Name the shortcut and select Finish.
4. Right-click the new shortcut, select Show more options, and choose Pin to taskbar.

Simpler option: drag a folder onto the File Explorer icon on the taskbar. It’s pinned to File Explorer’s jump list, which you open by right-clicking the File Explorer icon. You can also right-click any folder and select Pin to Quick access.

Pin a File to an App’s Jump List

Files can’t get their own taskbar icon, but you can pin them to the app that opens them.

1. Pin the app, such as Word or Excel, to the taskbar.
2. Right-click the app’s taskbar icon to see its recent files.
3. Hover over the file and select the pin icon next to it.

You can also drag a file onto the app’s taskbar icon to pin it there. Pinned files stay at the top of that right-click list.

Pin a Website

In Microsoft Edge, open the site and select Settings and more (…) > More tools > Pin to taskbar. Chrome and Firefox can do it too; see how to add a website to the taskbar in Windows 11. For an email example, see how to pin Gmail to the taskbar in Windows 11.

Rearrange or Unpin Taskbar Icons

• Move an icon: click and drag it left or right along the taskbar. Pinning does not fix an icon in place; see locking the taskbar in Windows 11 for what is and is not possible.
• Unpin an icon: right-click it and select Unpin from taskbar. The app stays installed.
• Open a pinned app with the keyboard: press Windows key + a number. Windows key + 1 opens the first pinned app, Windows key + 2 the second, and so on.

Hide the Older Chat Button or Unpin Teams

On an older Windows 11 layout with the built-in Chat button, open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, find Chat under Taskbar items and turn it Off. Check that the button disappears; turn that same switch On to restore it. A built-in taskbar button may not offer the ordinary Unpin command. Microsoft’s Chat policy documentation describes its Settings visibility control and managed restrictions. In Windows 11 23H2, Microsoft replaced Chat with a pinned Microsoft Teams app. For a normal Teams app pin, right-click its taskbar icon and choose Unpin from taskbar. Check the pin after closing the app: an open, unpinned app still appears while running. Neither method uninstalls Teams or deletes chats. If the old Chat switch is absent, use the controls actually available; an organization-enforced restriction requires its administrator.

If Pinned Icons Disappear or Look Blank

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart. The taskbar reloads.
3. If an icon is still blank, unpin it and pin it again from Start.
4. If pins keep vanishing after a restart, check whether cleanup software or a work policy resets the taskbar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Pin to taskbar missing?

Some items, such as individual files and certain system tools, can’t be pinned from every menu. Try pinning the app while it’s open, or use a shortcut. On work or school PCs, an administrator may also lock the taskbar.

Can I move the taskbar icons to the left?

Yes. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors and set Taskbar alignment to Left. See how to move the taskbar icons to the left.

Does unpinning uninstall the app?

No. Unpinning only removes the shortcut from the taskbar. The app is still in the Start menu.

To hide the numbers and symbols that appear on pinned apps, see how to turn off taskbar badges in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Once your favorite apps are pinned, you can also change the taskbar color in Windows 11 to match your desktop.

Want a website on your desktop instead of the taskbar? Learn how to create an internet shortcut from your browser.