The Windows Start Menu organizes all your frequently used programs and beloved folders in one convenient and easily accessible location. Since the option to do this doesn't appear in the drop-down menu or in any of the Windows Explorer menu bar windows, many users don't know how to add a folder to the start menu.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Add a folder to the Start menu on any Windows operating system
Step 1. Open the folder you want to add to the start menu
If you don't know its location, click the "Start" button at the bottom of the desktop screen to open the Start menu. In XP or earlier operating systems, look in the right pane of the Start menu to find the search function. In Windows Vista and Windows 7, a search box appears at the bottom of the left pane of the Start menu. Search for the file and open it.
Step 2. Click the "View" tab at the top of the open window
Hover the mouse pointer over "Go To" from the resulting drop-down menu, and select "Up One Level." Now you can see the folder icon on the screen, because we are inside the folder that contains it.
Step 3. Click the folder icon to highlight it, and then drag and drop it to the Start menu
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Open the Start menu to see the folder at the top of the right pane of the Start menu.
Method 2 of 2: Pin it to the Start menu
Step 1. Open the Start menu, select "Run" and type "regedit.exe" in the field
You can also type "regedit" in the Start menu search box. When the relevant icon is displayed, click on it.
Step 2. Click on the entry that says "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT / Folder / Shellex / ContextMenuHandlers"
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Then click "File" in the top menu bar and select "Export" to back up the registry before adding a subkey.
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Create a name that is easy to remember, and then click "Save".
Step 3. Right click in the open field on the right
Select "New" and then "Key".
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Enter "{a2a9545d-a0c2-42b4-9708-a0b2badd77c8}" in the resulting field.
Step 4. Close the registry
Now you can select "Pin to Start Menu" for any folder, not just program files.
Advice
- In Windows 7 and Vista, you can quickly find a folder without adding it to the start menu. Click the Start button and type the folder name in the Start menu search box. The clickable icon for the folder you're looking for will likely appear before you finish typing the folder name.
- To fix, a program, which are usually exe files, in the Start menu, right click on the program file. When the new menu appears, select "Add to Start Menu." The next time you enter the start menu, the pinned program will appear in its list.