How to Add or Remove “Pin to Start” from the Context Menu in Windows 11

One of Windows’ most convenient features is “Pin to Start”. This option, found in right-click context menus, lets users create a shortcut for easy access to a specific application, file, or folder in the Start menu. While useful in most scenarios, this feature is not always beneficial. It may even be undesirable in managed IT environments where administrators must maintain a standardized and controlled user interface.

If you’re an IT professional or power user looking to manage this feature, keep reading to learn how to add or remove the “Pin to Start” context menu entry with methods using the Registry Editor, .reg files, and PowerShell scripts.

How to add or remove “Pin to Start” from Windows 11 context menus

IT professionals and advanced users can employ various methods to add or remove the “Pin to Start” option from context menus in Windows 11, each tailored to different preferences and procedures.

📌Prerequisites:

• Windows Registry knowledge, as the following methods will modify registry keys under the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hives
• Administrator privileges

⚠️ Back up the registry before proceeding.

💡 New configurations will apply to all system users. We also recommend checking Things to look out for before proceeding.

📌 Recommended deployment strategies:

Method 1: Remove or restore “Pin to Start” via Registry Editor

This method manually adds or removes the “Pin to Start” context menu entry by directly editing the Windows Registry.

📌Use Cases: Customizing single PCs, testing registry changes before deployment, and quick UI lockdown on public-facing terminals

📌Prerequisites: Administrator privileges

To remove the “Pin to Start” option:

1. Open the Registry Editor. Press Windows key + R, type “regedit,” and press Enter.
2. On the left pane, navigate to the following paths and delete the PintoStartScreen key for each:
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mscfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Microsoft.Website\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen
3. Optional step: To ensure the “Pin to Start” entry doesn’t appear in File Explorer context menus, navigate to the path below: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked
   Create a {470C0EBD-5D73-4d58-9CED-E91E22E23282} String Value and leave the Value Data blank.
4. To apply the changes, restart File Explorer or reboot the system.

To restore the “Pin to Start” option:

1. Open the Registry Editor.
2. Recreate all the PintoStartScreen keys that were deleted under the correct paths and set the value of the (Default) REG_SZ to {470C0EBD-5D73-4d58-9CED-E91E22E23282}.
3. If you followed the optional step, find and delete the {470C0EBD-5D73-4d58-9CED-E91E22E23282} String Value in the path below: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked
4. To apply the changes, restart File Explorer or reboot the system.

Method 2: Remove or restore “Pin to Start” via .reg file

This method will apply registry changes using .reg files that can be double-clicked or deployed across systems.

📌 Use Cases: Mass deployment across a domain via GPO, quick toggle of the feature during system imaging, and embedding into onboarding scripts or provisioning packages

📌 Prerequisites: Administrator privileges

To remove the “Pin to Start” option:

1. Open Notepad and copy the following code:
   

   Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen] [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen] [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Microsoft.Website\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen] [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mscfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked] “{470C0EBD-5D73-4d58-9CED-E91E22E23282}”=””

2. Save it as “remove_pin_to_start.reg”.
3. Locate and double-click the .reg file to merge it with the registry.
4. Confirm the User Access Control (UAC) prompt.
5. To apply the changes, restart File Explorer or reboot the system.

To restore the “Pin to Start” option:

1. Open Notepad and copy the following code:
   

   Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen] @=”{470C0EBD-5D73-4d58-9CED-E91E22E23282}” [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen] @=”{470C0EBD-5D73-4d58-9CED-E91E22E23282}” [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Microsoft.Website\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen] @=”{470C0EBD-5D73-4d58-9CED-E91E22E23282}” [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mscfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen] @=”{470C0EBD-5D73-4d58-9CED-E91E22E23282}” [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked] “{470C0EBD-5D73-4d58-9CED-E91E22E23282}”=-

2. Save it as “restore_pin_to_start.reg”.
3. Locate and double-click the .reg file to merge it with the registry.
4. Confirm the UAC prompt.
5. To apply the changes, restart File Explorer or reboot the system.

Method 3: Remove or restore “Pin to Start” via PowerShell scripts

This method programmatically adds or removes the “Pin to Start” context menu option using PowerShell commands.

📌 Use Cases: Integrating into scripts or automation policies and triggering on-demand changes through remote admin portals

📌 Prerequisites: Administrator privileges

To remove the “Pin to Start” option:

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator. Press Windows key + R, type “powershell,” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
2. Copy and paste the following commands before pressing Enter:

To restore the “Pin to Start” option:

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator. Press Windows key + R, type “powershell,” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
2. Copy and paste the following commands before pressing Enter:

⚠️ Things to look out for

Why remove “Pin to Start” from the context menu?

IT administrators in managed, shared, and restricted environments have various compelling reasons to remove the “Pin to Start” option from right-click menus, including the following:

• Prevent UI changes in kiosk or shared devices
• Enforce curated or locked Start Menu layouts
• Reduce clutter and customization in restricted environments
• Simplify the user experience for training or public access terminals

Additional considerations when removing or restoring “Pin to Start” to context menus

Administrators and power users must understand the broader impact and constraints of adding or removing the “Pin to Start” menu on the context menu in Windows 11, as the action can influence user experience and system consistency. Consider the following points:

• System-wide impact across all users: This setting affects both file and folder context menus globally, which is useful in managed environments where uniformity is critical.
• No GUI toggle available: Windows 11 does not provide a built-in setting in the Settings app or Group Policy Editor to control the visibility of the “Pin to Start” context menu item, so registry modifications are needed.
• Start menu pinned items: Removing the option only prevents future pinning from the context menu and does not remove existing pinned items from the Start Menu.
• Scripted deployment & automation compatibility: The methods discussed are fully compatible with deployment tools, including Group Policy (GPO), Microsoft Intune, and System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM).

Managing the “Pin to Start” option for a better Start menu experience

Managing the availability of the “Pin to Start” option from context menus in Windows 11 can help administrators enforce consistency, simplify the user interface, and reduce support overhead in managed environments. IT professionals can make this change manually via registry files or automatically using scripts, depending on the goal and environment.

However, it’s essential to understand the implications of this action to maintain control over the desktop environment, from kiosks and training labs to enterprise workstations and public terminals.

Related topics:

• How to Customize the Windows 10 Start Menu: A Full Guide
• How to Customize the Windows 10 Start Menu (video)
• How to Add or Remove Recently Added Apps on the Start Menu in Windows 10
• How to Set a Default Start Layout for Users in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove the Sign Out Option from the Start Menu in Windows 10/11