How in the Tech

Pinning Folders to the Start Menu in Vista

By Adam Myers ⋅ June 23, 2008 ⋅ Tags: Vista

The Start Menu in Windows Vista underwent a number of changes compared to it’s predecessor, Windows XP. One feature commonplace to both is the ability to pin certain applications in the start menu, providing a quick and efficient access to programs you use often. You are probably already familiar with pinning, it’s the functionality that provides a quick-launch of sorts to your browser and email at the top of your Start Menu. Additionally, Vista and XP maintains a list of most used applications but this behavior isn’t always the same as pinning and the results can be sporadic.

One of the major shortcomings of pinning is the inability to pin folders, at least by default. As it turns out, it is possible to unearth this functionality, it just requires a simple step in the Windows Registry.

1. Click Start and in the Start Search box type regedit.exe
2. Traverse the Registry Editor navigation tree on the left hand side down to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\



3. Right click on ContextMenuHandlers in the left panel and select New->Key
4. Name the key {a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8}

   

5. It’s as simple as that.

So now, when you locate a folder that you’d like to pin to the start menu for quick access, while holding SHIFT, right click on the folder itself. You will see a new option – Pin to Start Menu.

And here is the end result. That wasn’t too hard was it?

This functionality can be removed just as easily as it was added by deleting the registry key created above.