Installing a Shortcut In the Start Menu

If I understand you correctly, my initial try (at work) was with a completely different page. (It was actually a link to a google docs page.) I was only using DDG as a test. I've also tried the s/cs out of the program folder. I put them on the desktop.

Matt

The method I used was from the How to Pin a website shortcut to Start Menu in Windows 10 page under the heading Pin a website shortcut to Windows 10 Start Menu using Chrome. I followed the instructions and the s/c appeared on the desktop. It works fine and even allows me to pin it to the Start.

I tried it again with a different page - one that, as far as I know, I have never visited - 'hobbycraft.co.uk'. The target from the s/c is this:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome_proxy.exe" --profile-directory=Default --app-id=bkmlnbjgofkgfkodipmobhogiiekcgba

It definitely works, but I've no idea what the figures represent. But it is the s/c that is created by using Chrome's own s/c creator.

Please note, I'm happy that it now seems to work.

Matt

I know you are now sorted, but I was intrigued as to how that shortcut with the gobbledegook 'id=...' could work. I use Firefox, and don't have chrome installed, so cannot repeat your test - but I did just run the process described for FF, using the 'drag to desktop' approach, and looked at the properties of the result (a .URL file) - I was puzzled that they showed nothing that would identify a web address. This is because I don't know enough about URLs. So I opened the .URL with notepad++ and found this:
[InternetShortcut]
URL=https://www.tenforums.com/general-support/197998-installing-shortcut-start-menu-3.html
IDList=
HotKey=0
IconFile=C:\Users\mnger\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\ngtnf0wp.default-1599043554604\shortcutCache\kyjNKaGhOdNxI6G6H94fNA==.ico
IconIndex=0

in which I see a similar long string to yours, apparently related to the icon for the .URL. I guess that is what your quoted link is showing - I don't know how you extracted that info from whatever the Chrome process created (a shortcut?), but somewhere else in it is the web page it links to. I am sorry if this is entirely unrelated to what you are seeing, and maybe irrelevant - but it seemed worth posting.

mngerhold, as, like you, I'm a little confused, so I don't really understand it. The string I showed was copied from the target field in the properties box.

However, I think I may be onto something. I have placed three s/cs on the desktop:

Note, Chrome is pinned to Start.

1: 'Google Chrome', which is a s/c that I have copied from the 'Programs' folder. Its target is '"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"'. It works fine - opening the default home page in Chrome - but has the 'UNPin from Start'. It is a 'Shortcut (.lnk)' with a file size of 2,308 bytes.

2: 'Test Shortcut', which is a s/c that I have moved from the 'Programs' folder. Its target is '"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" DuckDuckGo — Privacy, simplified.'. It works fine - opening the DDG home page in Chrome - but has the 'UNPin from Start'. It is a 'Shortcut (.lnk)' with a file size of 2,354 bytes. This s/c was originally produced by copying s/c1 and adding the parameter to the end.

3: 'DDG', which is a s/c using the target: '"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" DuckDuckGo — Privacy, simplified.'. This not only works as expected - opening the DDG home page in Chrome - but also has the 'Pin to Start' available. It is a 'Shortcut (.lnk)' with a file size of 1,865 bytes. This s/c was produced by creating a basic shortcut with the target value, as above, entered directly into the wizard's location box.

Curiously, though, when I open s/c3 'DDG' in notepad, it opens the link file, but when I try to open either of the others, notepad opens the Chrome.exe file. S/c3 is obviously different somehow to 1 and 2. All three seem to be basically the same but are obviously different. This seems to be why I made the mistake of copying the s/c of Chrome in 'Programs' rather than creating one from scratch. A reasonable (?) assumption, I would say. Anyone know why/how they are different. My OP has been addressed, so thanks for all the help, but this leaves the further point of curiosity.

Matt

Matt316 said:

...This seems to be why I made the mistake of copying the s/c of Chrome in 'Programs' rather than creating one from scratch. A reasonable (?) assumption, I would say. Anyone know why/how they are different. My OP has been addressed, so thanks for all the help, but this leaves the further point of curiosity.

Add me to that curiosity list.

This 'UN-pin from Start' issue appears independent of the browser link conditions. finding I can 'Copy' any short cut link from the 'C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs' folder to my Desktop, change all it's characteristics like Name, Target, Start in, Icon, and it will always say 'Unpin from Start'.

Doing the same with 'Move' it shows 'Pin to Start' but it's obviously taken the place of the one that was originally there.

Try3 said:

Being in that Programs folder is not the same thing as being Pinned to Start.

You make a good point!