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I've looked in %AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar as recommended by this answer for Windows 7, but I don't see a "User Pinned" folder.

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  • 1
    shouldn't the path actually be %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar? – brnnnrsmssn Mar 13 '20 at 23:35
  • @brnnnrsmssn %APPDATA% takes you to C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming – Ryan Mar 15 '20 at 13:52
  • the more you know. thanks. i always thought %APPDATA% took you to the base app data folder. – brnnnrsmssn May 25 '20 at 16:41
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If you pin a program, it should be in that location.

Have you tried copying and pasting the path in Windows Explorer? It should take you there.

Anyway, you can use a program like Everything Search Engine to find the path where your pinned programs are stored in your PC.

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  • So weird. It must be a hidden folder, because I can't click it through explorer, but I can type in the path and go straight there. – Ryan Sep 1 '15 at 16:34
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    Both AppData and User Pinned are hidden folders. Double whammy! – Troy Gizzi Oct 17 '16 at 13:57
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I just went to 

%AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar

and the User Pinned folder was there but hidden. To see it, make sure hidden files are being shown.

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    Also see the registry HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband – Biswapriyo Nov 30 '17 at 16:14
  • Taskband contains some binary data, nothing visual about taskbar icons... – Sasha Bond Oct 18 '19 at 15:07
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Windows 10 TaskBar folder is located at C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar

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My two cents:

  1. User Pinned is normally a folder with the hidden attribute set on, unhide hidden files&folders (maybe also system protected) on Explorer - View - Options ... or just type that path directly on the address.
  2. Some ICONs of the TaskBar are not located on: %AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar

Just to see some are not there, try to find theese: Edge, Calc, Photos, Paint 3D

I am getting mad to know where on the hell are they stored.

Easy steps to reproduce (they are not stored there):

  1. Unlink any CALC you can have to not get confused
  2. Run CALC.EXE
  3. Tell Windows you want it to stay on task bar (Pinned)
  4. Go to that path and it is not there

The same happens for all the rest i mention: Edge, Photos, Paint 3D; and maybe some more.

For example:

  • When running Edge, the launch command (seen by ProcessExplorer) is like: "C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\MicrosoftEdge.exe" -ServerName:MicrosoftEdge.AppXdnhjhccw3zf0j06tkg3jtqr00qdm0khc.mca

  • When running Photos, the launch command (seen by ProcessExplorer) is like: "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.Windows.Photos_2017.18062.13720.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\Microsoft.Photos.exe" -ServerName:App.AppXzst44mncqdg84v7sv6p7yznqwssy6f7f.mca

  • When running Paint 3D, the launch command (seen by ProcessExplorer) is like: "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.MSPaint_2.1707.1017.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\PaintStudio.View.exe" -ServerName:Microsoft.MSPaint.AppX437q68k2qc2asvaagas2prv9tjej6ja9.mca

But if you try to run that two commands they both fail, it is like they are not DeskTop APPs, like if they where Windows Metro APPs, or say in another way Windows Shop Applications.

But, why it also happens with "Calc" (shortcut on TaskBar not stored on that path), its path is: %SystemRoot%\System32\calc.exe; and you can create a ShortCut to it where ever you want; but for thoose other (Windows Shop / Windows Metro) apps you can not create a working shortcut.

So there are two main problems:

  1. How to create that shortcuts
  2. Where does also Windows stores some of the Shortcuts for the TaskBar

P.D.: Using Windows 10 Home 64 Bits.

ADDED:

I found a way to create such ShortCuts to Windows Special APPS..., it is based on opening a special Explorer Window with a lot of APPs shortcuts, then Drag&Drop with mouse to create shortcut where ever you want.*

Steps:

  1. Open explorer and on the address textbox type: %windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}
  2. A new windows will open with all such APPs, like Paint 3D, Photos, Edge etc.
  3. Locate the one you want and create a ShortCut to it where ever you want.

Note: Instead of %windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}, you can do shell:AppsFolder in the Run Box.

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1

To get there quickly without worrying about Explorer view options, click in the Explorer Address bar and type: shell:User Pinned\Taskbar:

enter image description here

enter image description here

For a list of names that can be used with Shell:, copy & paste the following into a PowerShell console window:

$FD = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions'
(Get-ItemProperty (Get-ChildItem $FD).PSPath).name | sort

enter image description here

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-2

It's actually the following location: %AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar

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    That's where the OP says he looked, so this doesn't provide a solution. – fixer1234 Sep 14 '16 at 18:02
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    But it worked for me. – Florian F May 2 '17 at 7:44

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