Add Folders and Other Objects to the Start Screen in Windows 8

Add Folders and Other Objects to the Start Screen in Windows 8



Want to access a folder, file, or other object directly from the Start screen
without using the Desktop or run File Explorer? Here’s how to do it.



One of the nice things about older versions of Windows is the way you could access
just about anything straight from the Desktop, like folders that you either put there
directly or created shortcuts to. At first glance, it doesn’t appear that it’s possible to
do the same thing with the Start screen.

In fact, though, it’s not that tough to do. You simply open File Explorer, right-click the
folder or file you want to put on the Start screen, and select “Pin to Start” (Figure 1).


Figure 1.
The first step in adding a folder to the Start screen

When you do that, a new tile appears on the Start screen. Click to open it. That’s all it
takes. You may want to put the Libraries and Documents folders there, as well as any
other folders you frequently access.
Don’t stop with local folders, though. You can also put network locations on the Start
screen. To do it, open File Explorer, and in the Network Location area, right-click any
location and select “Pin to Start.” In fact, you can even pin entire remote computers
to the Start screen. In File Explorer, look in the Homegroup and Network folders on
the left part of the screen, right-click the PC you’d like to access from the Start screen,
and select “Pin to Start.”

You can even pin various Windows resources and accessories as well. Go to

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows Accessories

and you know the drill. Right-click any accessory and select “Pin to Start.”


Note: You can’t pin Desktop-based applications to the Start screen, aside from
various Windows accessories and services, using this technique. To pin Desktop
applications to the Start menu, see “Force Desktop Apps to Show up on the
Start Screen”.



Hacking the Hack

You can even pin websites to the Start screen. To do it, run the Windows 8 native
version of Internet Explorer, and when you’re on a website you want pinned, click the
Pin icon to the right of the address bar at the bottom of the screen. If you want, rename
the website in the screen that pops up, or leave it as is. Either way, click “Pin to Start”
from the screen that appears, and it will be done.



See Also
• “How to Create Quick Launch Application Folder on the Start Screen and Desktop in Windows 8”
• “How to Put a Tile to Computer on the Start Screen in Windows 8”
• “How to Force Desktop Apps to Show up on the Start Screen in Windows 8”