Computer Bytes - No. 35 If you like a clean computer desktop, this article will show you how to 'pin' programs to your start menu minimizing or totally clearing your desk top of icons. When you open 'Start' located in the lower left corner of the screen, you will notice on the left-hand side of the menu a list of your most recently used programs. This list will change based on the programs you have been using. Above this list will be an area that does not change. Here you will see your email program and Web browser. This is the area where you will 'pin' the shortcuts for programs that you want to have available all the time. Unlike desktop shortcuts that can be for files, folders or programs, you can only 'pin' programs to the Start menu. To pin a program, you will want to right click on the desktop shortcut for the program. This will allow you to view a menu box and from here you will want to select 'Pin to Start Menu'. The program will automatically be added to your Start menu. Adding the program to the Start menu will not remove it's icon from the desktop. You will need to drag and drop your desktop shortcut to the Recycle Bin if you want it removed. Removing a shortcut to the Recycle Bin does not uninstall the program. If you want to delete a pinned program from the Start menu, simply right click on the program you want to delete and select 'Remove from this list'. Remember if you remove the pinned program, the shortcut for this program will not return to the desktop. You will need to re-create a desktop short cut if that is what you want. As you can see, pinning a program to the Start menu is very easy once you have your desktop program shortcuts in place. For those who may have missed last week's article on how to create shortcuts or need to review the steps, I am including an abbreviated portion of that article as it is an integral part of pinning. To add desktop shortcuts if you have Windows, right click on the desktop in an open area, select New and then Shortcut. A box will appear that will ask you to type in the file or program path. If you do not know the path, click on Browse and locate the program or file you want to create the shortcut for. Then click Open and Next. You can then type in a name for the shortcut and click Next or Finish depending on your version of Windows. An alternate method is through the C Drive. Go to My Computer and open the C Drive. Select the program or file for which you want to create a shortcut by highlighting it. Right click on the highlighted selection and from the box menu select - Create Shortcut. The shortcut will appear at the bottom of the list of files displayed for the C Drive. Minimize this screen and then drag the shortcut to your desktop by placing the cursor over the newly created shortcut icon, and while holding down the left mouse button, drag it across to your desktop. Once there you can right click on the shortcut icon and rename it if you like. Moncrief Web2 Home Page Moncrief Web Design Computer Bytes Index Web Design | Search Engine Optimization | Site Maintenance & Management | Request Information | About Us ~ Sample Sites Send Us an Email | Home Page Copyright 2007-2008. All rights reserved. Computer Bytes articles may not be reprinted, published, quoted, copied, or used in any manner whatsoever without the expressed written permission of David Moncrief.