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To pin a Microsoft Store app or game, install it first, search for its name from Start or the taskbar, right-click the result, and choose Pin to taskbar. If it is already running, right-click its taskbar icon and select the same command. You can later remove the shortcut with Unpin from taskbar or drag it to a different position. The labels and available options are documented for Windows 10 and Windows 11, although a work administrator, local account, regional availability, or a future Windows update can change what you see.
How do I pin a Microsoft Store app or game to the taskbar?
Use this sequence when the Store app or game is not currently open:
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- Select Start and open Microsoft Store.
- Choose Apps or Gaming, then open the listing you want.
- Select Get, Install, or the equivalent download control. If you already own it, open Microsoft Store > My Library and select the download icon.
- After installation completes, type the app or game name in the taskbar Search box.
- Right-click the matching result and select Pin to taskbar. On some builds, the command is inside More.
The icon should appear on the taskbar immediately. A pin is a shortcut, not a second installation, so pinning does not download another copy of the app or game.
How do I install the app or game from Microsoft Store first?
A Store listing must be installed before Windows can offer it as a taskbar shortcut. Microsoft says the Store contains thousands of apps and games, many of which are free to download and play; availability still depends on your account, region, device, and the publisher’s listing.
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Install a new listing
- Open Start > Microsoft Store.
- Select Apps for general software or Gaming for games.
- Browse or search for the exact title and open its listing.
- Choose the install control and wait for the progress indicator to finish.
- Launch the item once from the Store or Start if you want to confirm that installation completed before pinning it.
Download an item you already own
Open Microsoft Store > My Library while signed in with the Microsoft account that owns the item. Find the app or game and select the download icon. If it is absent, verify that you are using the purchasing account; a different account can make an owned item appear unavailable.
What the Store does not guarantee
A listing can be restricted by country or region, family settings, hardware compatibility, or an administrator. Microsoft also notes that a title may have been removed from the Store or may be offered only by its publisher. In those cases, there is no Store installation to pin; use the publisher’s supported installation route if one exists.
How do I pin an installed app when it is closed?
The Start/Search method is the most reliable option when the app or game is not running.
- Click the taskbar Search box, or open Start and begin typing the title.
- Check the result’s name and icon so you do not select a similarly named document or web result.
- Right-click the app or game result.
- Select Pin to taskbar. If the first menu does not show it, open More and look there.
Windows places the new icon after the existing pinned items. If Search finds a Store page rather than an installed program, installation has not finished, the wrong account is signed in, or the item is not installed on that Windows profile.
How do I pin a game that is already running?
The open-app method avoids searching and is useful for games that are difficult to identify in Start.
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- Start the installed game or app normally.
- When its icon appears on the taskbar, right-click that icon.
- Select Pin to taskbar.
If the game is displayed in a grouped window menu, right-click the application’s icon or entry in that group and then choose the pin command. Do not right-click a desktop shortcut or a different launcher icon; the command must be applied to the running program’s taskbar icon.
How can I pin it with only the keyboard or a screen reader?
Windows supports a context-menu route without a mouse.
- Open Start and move to the app or game with the arrow keys or by typing its name.
- Press Shift+F10 to open the item’s context menu.
- Choose Pin to taskbar. On some Windows builds, first open More.
- Press Enter to confirm.
Screen-reader wording can vary slightly between Windows 10 and Windows 11. If the menu is announced in a different order, use the screen reader’s item navigation rather than assuming a fixed shortcut letter.
Which pinning method should I use?
Choose based on whether the program is closed, open, or hard to reach with a pointer.
| Method | Best when | Input | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start/Search | The app or game is closed | Pointer or keyboard | The item is installed and visible in Search |
| Open-app icon | The program is already running | Pointer/context menu | A taskbar icon for the running program |
| Shift+F10 | You use a keyboard or screen reader | Keyboard | The item selected in Start or Search |
| My Library download | You own the item but it is not installed | Microsoft Store | Access to the Microsoft account that owns it |
All three pinning routes create the same kind of taskbar shortcut. The difference is how you reach the app’s context menu and whether the app is currently running.
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How do I move or remove a pinned icon?
Change its order
Click and hold the pinned icon, then drag it left or right along the taskbar. Release it when the insertion position is shown. Reordering affects the taskbar layout, not the app’s installation folder or Store ownership.
Unpin it
Right-click the icon and select Unpin from taskbar. This removes the shortcut but does not uninstall the app or game. You can pin it again later through Start/Search or the running-app method.
What happens after an uninstall?
If you uninstall the app or game, its pinned shortcut can remain until Windows removes or updates it. Selecting the stale icon will not restore the installation; reinstall the item through the Store or the publisher, then pin the newly installed copy if necessary.
Why can’t I find “Pin to taskbar”?
The command can be hidden because you opened the wrong menu, the item is not installed, or Windows policy prevents taskbar changes.
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- Open More: Some Windows 10 and Windows 11 context menus place Pin to taskbar under More.
- Confirm installation: Search for the title after the Store reports that installation has finished. If it is still absent, restart Windows and search again.
- Check policy: A work or school administrator can restrict Microsoft Store access or taskbar customization. You may need the administrator to make the change.
- Check the account: Sign in to the Microsoft account that installed or owns the item. A local account can also affect whether the Store is present.
Windows 10 and Windows 11 use the same basic controls, but menu placement, icon appearance, and wording can change with a feature update. Follow the label currently shown on your system rather than relying on an older screenshot.
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What should I do if Microsoft Store is missing?
First search Start for Microsoft Store. Microsoft says the Store may be unavailable when you are using a local account or when an administrator has disabled it on a work device.
- Sign in with an eligible Microsoft account if your organization permits it.
- If the device is managed, ask the administrator whether Store access is intentionally blocked.
- Install pending Windows updates and restart before checking again.
- If the title is available only from its publisher, install it through that supported route; it will not appear in Store categories or My Library.
Do not download a replacement Store package from an unknown website. An unofficial installer can be incompatible with your Windows edition and does not establish that the app itself is legitimate.
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Check availability and eligibility
- Confirm the exact title and publisher in Store Search.
- Check the country or region configured for your Microsoft account and Windows device.
- Review family settings if a child account cannot view or install the item.
- Check the listing’s device and Windows compatibility requirements.
- Look in My Library when the item was previously purchased.
- Consider that the publisher may have removed the listing or moved distribution outside the Store.
Refresh Windows and the Store
If the listing is eligible but the download stalls, restart Windows first. Then open Microsoft Store > Library > Get updates to update the Store and its installed apps. Try the installation again after updates finish.
Repair or reset the installed app
When installation succeeds but launch fails, use Windows’ app repair controls. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select the app’s menu, choose Advanced options, and try Repair. Repair attempts to fix the installation without removing app data; if that does not work, Reset is a more disruptive option and can erase local app data.
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Reinstall as the final built-in step
If updating, repairing, and resetting do not restore normal launch, uninstall the app, restart Windows, and reinstall it from the Store or the publisher’s supported source. Re-pin it after the new installation appears in Search. Save game progress or other local data first if the app does not synchronize it to an account.
Does pinning work differently on Windows 10 and Windows 11?
The documented controls apply to both Windows 10 and Windows 11: install through Microsoft Store, find the app in Start/Search, and choose Pin to taskbar, or pin the icon of a running app. The visual layout differs, and Windows 11 may place additional commands behind More.
Account type, administrator policy, Windows edition, and future updates can change Store categories and context-menu labels. If a control is not exactly where an older guide shows it, look for the equivalent command in the current context menu instead of changing system settings blindly.
What is the fastest checklist when pinning fails?
- Verify that Microsoft Store opens and that you are signed in to the intended account.
- Confirm the app or game appears in the Store and meets region, family, and device requirements.
- Install it, or download it from My Library if you already own it.
- Restart Windows if the finished installation does not appear in Search.
- Right-click the Search result, check More, and select Pin to taskbar.
- If the program is already running, right-click its taskbar icon and pin it from there.
- For launch problems, update Windows, use Library > Get updates, then try Repair, Reset, and reinstall in that order.
This sequence separates a taskbar problem from an installation, account, compatibility, or policy problem, so you do not reinstall an app merely because its shortcut is missing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pin a Microsoft Store game before downloading it?
No. The taskbar pin is created from an installed app or a running program, so a Store listing that has not been installed cannot be pinned. Download an owned title from My Library or install the listing first.
Will unpinning a game delete my save files?
Unpinning only removes the taskbar shortcut and does not uninstall the game. Save data is therefore not affected by the unpin action itself, although uninstalling or resetting a game can have separate data consequences.
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Usually the user can pin an installed app to that user’s taskbar, but an organization can apply policies that restrict Store access or taskbar customization. On a managed computer, the administrator’s settings take precedence.
Why does a pinned icon open the Store instead of the game?
The installation may have been removed, damaged, or replaced, leaving a stale shortcut. Check whether the title still appears in Start, repair or reinstall it, and then create a fresh pin from the current installed result.
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