How to Add File Explorer and Folders to Taskbar in Windows 11

To put it mildly if we say that the Windows 11 taskbar is a handy tool. In this new iteration of the Windows operating system, the taskbar is more icon-driven and the ability to pin your most frequently used apps is an added bonus. Not only does this make things convenient, but it also saves you time in the long run.

However, Windows did remove some useful tools like the Toolbar on Windows 11, and now it’s a bit difficult to add folders and files to the taskbar. We have a little workaround.

So if you want your laptop’s taskbar to be the hub for all the important things, here’s how you can pin File Explorer and Folders to Windows 11 taskbar.

How to add File Explorer to the taskbar in Windows 11

The Windows 11 taskbar has the File Explorer icon pinned to the taskbar by default. If you accidentally detached it, it’s easy to get it back.

Step 1: Open File Explorer (Win + E) and you will see the File Explorer icon in the taskbar

2nd step: Right click on it and select Pin to taskbar. That’s it.

The File Explorer icon will now be pinned to the taskbar until it is manually removed. The good thing is that the list also contains all the folders that you use frequently. So if you open folder A and folder C daily, you will see all the folder names under Frequent.

Second, all folders under Quick Access (on File Explorer) will be pinned to this list automatically. To remove the ones you don’t like, unpin a few folders from this list. All you have to do is click on the Detach icon.

While a simple right click on the File Explorer icon will take you to all of your favorite folders, the series of clicks might seem a bit too much. Fortunately, there is a little workaround that lets you add any folder you want to the taskbar.

How to add folders to the taskbar in Windows 11

Windows 11 does not have a native feature for adding folders to the taskbar.

Step 1: Right-click on the folder you want to pin and select Show more options, then select Send to> Desktop (create shortcut).

As the name suggests, this action will create a desktop shortcut.

2nd step: Press Win + D to access the desktop. Now right click on the folder you just created and select Properties.

Step 3: Click on Shortcut and add the word “explorer” to the target string.

Make sure to add a space after the word “explorer” as shown in the screenshot below. This will automatically add the explorer path once you click the Apply button.

At the same time, rename the file on the General tab. This step is not mandatory and you can skip it.

Now let’s choose an icon.

Step 4: Click the Change icon button and choose an icon from the available gallery.

If you are looking for new system icons for Windows 11, you can type imageres.dll in the Search field and press the Enter button.

Once you have chosen the icon, press the Apply All button and OK.

Step 5: Go back to your PC desktop and right click on the new icon. Next, select Show more options and then Pin to taskbar. That’s it!

The new icon will be added to the taskbar. You just have to click on it to land on the folder of your choice.

You can follow the above steps to add your favorite files to the taskbar.

If you don’t want to mess with the settings, you can go through the native method and add folders to the Start menu (instead of the taskbar). It’s simple and easy and doesn’t take more than a few seconds.

How to add folders to the Start menu

Step 1: Go to Settings (Win + I) and select Personalization in the left panel. Now select Start and then Folders to see the options available.

2nd step: Toggle the switch next to the personal folder. It will add a shortcut to user folders in the start menu.

Alternatively, if you want to see other folders on the Start menu, you can toggle the switch next to Folders.

The only limitation of this method is that it does not allow you to add a random folder to the Start menu. Rather, you must choose from the list of options offered.

With one click

Having quick access to all folders and apps can help you save time in the long run. At the same time, you can drag and drop the newly created icons to any location you want. Note that icons such as Start, Search, and Widgets are fixed and cannot be moved.