Configure the applications pinned to the taskbar

The configuration of the applications pinned to the taskbar is done with the use of an XML file. This article describes how to create and deploy the XML configuration file.

Note

If you are looking for OEM information, see the article Customize the Taskbar.

To learn about all the policy settings to customize the taskbar layout and configure the taskbar behaviors, see Taskbar policy settings.

Before you begin

Here are some considerations before you start configuring the taskbar pinned applications:

• There's no limit to the number of apps that you can pin.
• In the XML file, add apps using the Application User Model ID (AUMID), the Desktop Application ID, or the Desktop Application Link Path.
• Some classic Windows applications are packaged differently than they were in previous versions of Windows, including Notepad and File Explorer. Make sure to enter the correct Application ID. To learn more, see Find the Application User Model ID of an installed app.
• If you specify an app to be pinned that isn't provisioned for the user on the device, the pinned icon doesn't appear on the taskbar.
• The order of applications in the XML file dictates the order of pinned apps on the taskbar, from left to right. If the OS is configured to use a right-to-left language, then the taskbar order is reversed
• Applications can be pinned using the following methods:
  • Default Windows apps, pinned during the OS installation. For example: Microsoft Edge, File Explorer, and Store. These applications are pinned first (blue square).
  • Pinned manually by the user. These applications are usually pinned next to the default pinned apps (red circle).
  • Pinned via policy settings. These applications are pinned after the apps pinned manually by the user (green triangle).

Configuration steps

The following steps describe how to configure the taskbar pinned applications using policy settings:

1. Create the XML file. You can start with the XML example.
2. Edit the XML file to meet your requirements and save it.
3. Deploy the XML file to devices using configuration service provider (CSP), provisioning packages (PPKG), or group policy (GPO).

Taskbar configuration and policy refresh

Depending on the method you use to configure the taskbar, the configuration is reapplied at different intervals. When the taskbar configuration is reapplied, user changes are overwritten.

Configuration method	Reapplied interval
Configuration service provider (CSP)	Every 8 hours or based on the ConfigRefresh interval.
Provisioning package (PPKG)	Each time the explorer.exe process restarts.
Group policy (GPO)	In case of a group policy change.

Caution

The use of the Import-StartLayout PowerShell cmdlet to provision the Taskbar layout is no longer supported in Windows 11.

Note

If you use GPO and your configuration only contains a taskbar layout, the default Windows tile layout will be applied and cannot be changed by users. If you use GPO and your configuration includes taskbar and a full Start layout, users can only make changes to the taskbar. If you use Group Policy and your configuration includes taskbar and a partial Start layout, users can make changes to the taskbar and to tile groups not defined in the partial Start layout.

For more information, see Configure the Start menu.

Taskbar layout example

Here you can find an example of taskbar layout that you can use as a reference:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LayoutModificationTemplate
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
    xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
    xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
    xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
    Version="1">
  <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
    <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
      <taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
        <!-- your pins list goes here -->
    </defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
 </CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

Sample taskbar configuration added to Start layout XML file

If you configure the Start layout using policy settings, you can modify the existing XML file by adding the taskbar customizations to it. Here's an example of a Start layout XML file that includes the CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection node.

<LayoutModificationTemplate xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout" Version="1" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification">
  <LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" />
  <DefaultLayoutOverride>
    <StartLayoutCollection>
      <defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6">
        <start:Group Name="">
          <!-- your Start layout goes here -->
        </start:Group>
      </defaultlayout:StartLayout>
    </StartLayoutCollection>
  </DefaultLayoutOverride>
    <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
      <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
        <taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
          <!-- your pins list goes here -->
        </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
      </defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
    </CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

Modify the configuration file

Caution

When you make changes to the XML file, be aware that the XML format must adhere to an XML schema definition (XSD).

You can change the apps pinned to the taskbar by modifying the <TaskbarLayout> node.

1. In the <taskbar:TaskbarPinList> node, add (or remove) the apps you want pinned. You can pin Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps and desktop apps:
   • <taskbar:UWA>: Select this option for UWP apps. Add the AUMID of the UWP app.
   • <taskbar:DesktopApp>: Select this option for desktop apps. Add the Desktop Application ID or the Desktop Application Link Path of the desktop app.
2. In the <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection> node, the apps you add are pinned after the default apps. If you want to remove the default apps, and only show the apps you add in the XML file, then add PinListPlacement="Replace":
   • <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>: Keeps the default pinned apps. After the default apps, the apps you add are pinned.
   • <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">: Unpins the default apps. Only the apps you add are pinned. If you want to remove some of the default pinned apps, then add PinListPlacement="Replace". When you add your apps to <taskbar:TaskbarPinList>, include the default apps you still want pinned.
3. In the <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout> node, use region=" | " to use different taskbar configurations based on the device locale and region.
4. Save the file.

For practical examples of how to add, remove, or replace pinned apps, see the following sections:

• Add pins
• Remove default pins
• Replace default pins
• Configure the taskbar by country or region

Example: add pins

The <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection> section appends the listed apps to the taskbar by default. The following sample keeps the default apps pinned and adds pins for Paint, Microsoft Reader, and a command prompt.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LayoutModificationTemplate
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
    xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
    xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
    xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
    Version="1">
  <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
    <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
      <taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
        <taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="windows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy!microsoft.windows.immersivecontrolpanel" />
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.Windows.Explorer"/>
        <taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="Microsoft.MicrosoftLoop_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
        <taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="MicrosoftCorporationII.QuickAssist_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
      </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
    </defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
  </CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

Before and after:

Example: remove pins

To remove all pins, add PinListPlacement="Replace" to <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LayoutModificationTemplate
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
    xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
    xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
    xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
    Version="1">
  <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
    <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
      <taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="#leaveempty"/>
      </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
    </defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
  </CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

Before and after:

Example: replace pins

To replace all default pins and add your own pins, add PinListPlacement="Replace" to <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>. Then, add the pins that you want to TaskbarPinList.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LayoutModificationTemplate
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
    xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
    xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
    xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
    Version="1">
  <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
    <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
      <taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
        <taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="windows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy!microsoft.windows.immersivecontrolpanel" />
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.Windows.Explorer"/>
        <taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="Microsoft.MicrosoftLoop_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
        <taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="MicrosoftCorporationII.QuickAssist_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
      </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
    </defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
  </CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

Before and after:

Example: configure the taskbar by country or region

In the following XML example, two regions are added: US|UK and DE|FR|IT:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LayoutModificationTemplate
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
    xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
    xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
    xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
    Version="1">

  <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
    <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout Region="US|UK">
      <taskbar:TaskbarPinList >
        <taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="windows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy!microsoft.windows.immersivecontrolpanel" />
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.Windows.Explorer"/>
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationID="MSEdge"/>
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\Command Prompt.lnk"/>
      </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
    </defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
    <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout Region="DE|FR|IT">
      <taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationID="MSEdge"/>
        <taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="windows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy!microsoft.windows.immersivecontrolpanel" />
        <taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="Microsoft.MicrosoftLoop_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
        <taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="MicrosoftCorporationII.QuickAssist_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
      </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
    </defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
    <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
      <taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationID="MSEdge"/>
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.Windows.Explorer"/>
        <taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="Microsoft.MicrosoftLoop_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
      </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
    </defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
  </CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

• If the <TaskbarPinList> node has region matching the one configured on the device, then the configuration applies.
• If the <TaskbarPinList> node doesn't have a region matching the one configured on the device, then the first <TaskbarPinList> node without region applies.

Note

Look up country and region codes (use the ISO Short column)

Deploy the taskbar configuration

The following instructions provide details about how to configure your devices. Select the option that best suits your needs.

Intune/CSP

To configure devices with Microsoft Intune, create a Settings catalog policy and use one of the following settings:

Category	Setting name	Value
Start	Start Layout	Content of the XML file
Start	Start Layout (User)	Content of the XML file

Assign the policy to a group that contains as members the devices or users that you want to configure.

Alternatively, you can configure devices using a custom policy with the Start CSP. Use one of the following settings:

Setting
- OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/StartLayout - String: - Value: content of the XML file
- OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/StartLayout - Data type: - Value: content of the XML file

Assign the policy to a group that contains as members the devices or users that you want to configure.

PPKG

Use the following settings to create a provisioning package:

• Path: Policies/Start/StartLayout
• Value: content of the XML file

Note

The content of the file must be entered as a single line in the Value field. Use a text editor to remove any line breaks from the XML file, usually with a function called join lines.

Apply the provisioning package to the devices that you want to configure.

GPO

To configure a device with group policy, use the Local Group Policy Editor. To configure multiple devices joined to Active Directory, create or edit a group policy object (GPO) and use one of the following settings:

Group policy path	Group policy setting	Value
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar	Start Layout	Path to the XML file
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar	Start Layout	Path to the XML file

Group policies can be linked to domains or organizational units, filtered using security groups, or filtered using WMI filters.

The GPO applies the Start and taskbar layout at the next user sign-in. Each time the user signs in, the timestamp of the .xml file with the Start and taskbar layout is checked and if a newer version of the file is available, the settings in the latest version of the file are applied.

User experience

After the taskbar layout is applied, the users must sign out and sign in again to see the new layout. Unless prohibited via policy settings, users can pin more apps, change the order, and unpin apps from the taskbar.

OS install and upgrade experience

On a clean install of Windows, if you apply a taskbar layout, the following apps are pinned to the taskbar:

• Any default apps you don't remove.
• Apps that you specifically pin in the XML file.

On a Windows OS upgrade, apps are already pinned to the taskbar. The taskbar layout applies the following logic:

• If users pinned apps to the taskbar, then those pinned apps remain. New apps are pinned after the existing user-pinned apps.
• If the apps are pinned during the install or by a policy (not by a user), and the apps aren't pinned in an updated layout file, then the apps are unpinned.
• If a user didn't pin an app, and the same app is pinned in the updated layout file, then the app is pinned after any existing pinned apps.
• New apps in updated layout file are pinned after the user's pinned apps.

If you apply the taskbar configuration to a clean install or an update, users can still:

• Pin more apps
• Change the order of pinned apps
• Unpin any app

Next steps

Learn more about the options available to configure Start menu settings using the Configuration Service Provider (CSP) and Group Policy (GPO):

• Taskbar policy settings

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