How to add exe to start menu in Windows 10?

Question

How can I pin arbitrary programs to my Start Menu?

I can't create a shortcut in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs; Windows says:

Can't create shortcut here; create on desktop instead?

I can't drag and drop it onto the Start Menu itself.

If I drag it onto the Start icon, it asks me if I want to pin it, but it doesn't do anything.

Right click and "Pin to Start" sometimes can take a while, just happened to me and after 1 minute it appeared there — golimar, Jun 02 '21 at 08:30

score 101 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 31 '15 at 07:17

101

The C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs start menu is for all users, and you will need administrative access to install anything here. Anything here will appear on the start menu all users that login.

Instead use the %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs location, which belongs to your user and no additional privileges are required.

answered Jul 31 '15 at 07:17

Paul

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I find I somtimes have to log out-log in before they show up... – Christy James Aug 03 '15 at 19:04
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@ChristyJames For me, doing a search (just by typing at the start menu) is enough to cause it to refresh its cache of entries. – Basic Oct 15 '16 at 23:43
Unlike other answers, this also works with custom shortcuts that include command-line parameters or other settings. – Soren Bjornstad Feb 18 '20 at 13:59

Mik · Answer 2 · 2015-07-31T11:43:27.250

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If your program was installed "the right way", having a shortcut in "All apps", use ᔕᖺᘎᕊ's answer. If it is a simple exe file running without installation, why not simply right-click on the .exe file, choose "Pin to Start".

edited Jul 31 '15 at 11:43

answered Jul 31 '15 at 11:35

Mik

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The program was installed "the right way" but it doesn't add the 64-bit version to the start menu; only the 32 bit version. – mpen Jul 31 '15 at 16:33
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Sorry, but this answer does not have any value. The issue here, is that the executable is not indexed for windows searching and the ask is HOW to index it. Right-clicking/Pin-to-start is not an option. Refer to Paul's answer. – Mario Sep 19 '18 at 05:43
The question was "How can I pin arbitrary programs to my Start Menu?". My answer explains how to do it. Paul's answer explains how to add it to the "All programs" list in the start menu. "All programs" appears on the left column, while pinned programs ar showed on the right one. My answer should be the accepted answer. – Mik Sep 20 '18 at 07:36

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 31 '15 at 09:59

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If you just want to pin a normal program to the start menu, you can simply:

Click the start menu logo > Click 'all apps' > Right click the program you want to be pinned > Click 'Pin to Start':

answered Jul 31 '15 at 09:59

ᔕᖺᘎᕊ

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Correct. I know how to pin things that are listed, but I couldn't find it anywhere in the start menu at all, and I didn't know how to get it in there. Paul's solution seems to work. – mpen Jul 31 '15 at 20:06
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No sir. It's PhpStorm. Used the installer. It only puts the 32-bit version in the start menu, but I prefer to run the 64-bit version. – mpen Jul 31 '15 at 22:05
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this worked quite well for me for an executable I dl'd with no installer. – orion elenzil Dec 06 '19 at 17:27

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 03 '23 at 12:37

I also had an executable which I couldn't pin to start menu by rightclicking in the start menu itself. In this case the standalone version of MusicBee.

Going to the file location and rightclicking on the file itself shows the "Pin to Start" button.

After that it properly shows up in the start menu

How to add exe to start menu in Windows 10?

4 Answers4

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