Why can't I add desktop shortcuts to the Taskbar in W10 Pro?

Hi folks -

In Windows 7 this is not an issue, but in W10 it really is - at least for me.

I want to take some desktop shortcuts and place then on the Taskbar, but I am not allowed to"Pin" them.
Been here: Cannot pin some shortcuts to taskbar Solved - Windows 10 Forums

No go for me.

Without messing around in Group Policy, is there a simple way to do this?
All the simple shortcuts do is invoke a webpage in Firefox. What a pain!

Any help appreciated. Thanks!

For the avoidance of doubt - my post is about internet shortcuts that have the .URL extension [these are generally created as Favorites by IE but can readily be moved elsewhere].

You cannot pin .URL files to the Taskbar, only shortcuts to applications.

To pin a URL, you would need to create a full shortcut to your browser that includes the URL as an argument [wrapping " around anything with a space in it - this also allows the command to cope with special characters in the URL such as &]
"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" "12345www.tenforums.com12345" {the 12345 are just there to stop the forum editor stripping out the "}

You can see the Target property containing the browser path followed by the url. To the right of the Taskbar tab "Test properties" you can see the pinned Test icon corresponding to that shown in the background of the snip.


Denis

@Try3
You can easily PIN a web site (URL) to the taskbar from Edge. You just click the three dots in the upper right corner and select Pin this page to taskbar or Pin this page to Start.
Same thing can be done in IE, open your chosen website in Internet Explorer. Click the website’s favicon (the small icon next to the website’s URL in the tab) and drag it to your desktop. Right-click the newly created shortcut and select “Pin to taskbar.” That’s it! I do believe it does all of what your posting for you.


Once a site is pinned it will open in Edge or IE depending on which one you have set as your default.

EDIT: It looks like if you create it in IE it opens in IE when launched from the taskbar. I did not know this. I've only very recently Started using Edge instead of IE.

Alphanumeric,

My post was about .URL files.

Yours is about .Website files created when you Click the website’s favicon (the small icon next to the website’s URL in the tab) and drag it ...

They are different things.

Denis

@Try3, fair enough. I think it ends up being the same thing, just done a different way, that's all. Just pointing out its now a lot easier to pin a website to your taskbar.

Maybe these two threads should be combined...

Can't pin certain desktop shortcuts to taskbar Solved - Windows 10 Forums

IMO, you should be able to pin desktop shortcuts to the Taskbar. The request and implementation is simple.
The only way that I see it right now, is to extend the Links Toolbar to the left of the Tray and put those items there.

It may not be the ideal way, but we all have to adapt or cry, lol!

FWIW!

Yeah, its weird because I have shortcuts for PC Shutdown and to switch from Extend to PC Screen Only etc on my Desktop. I can Pin those to my Start Menu and Taskbar. However, If I create a shortcut to say a text document and put that on my Desktop, no right click Pin option?

alphanumeric said:

Yeah, its weird because I have shortcuts for PC Shutdown and to switch from Extend to PC Screen Only etc on my Desktop. I can Pin those to my Start Menu and Taskbar. However, If I create a shortcut to say a text document and put that on my Desktop, no right click Pin option?

Pinning was designed for applications [rather than individual files] so special shortcuts such as those you & I mentioned above work because they do call up executables albeit with arguments that enhance their behaviour

C:\Windows\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe /extend

These are also pinnable for the same reason

PowerCfg shortcuts
SFC shortcuts

Denis