Create a Custom Start Menu Folder (Apps List) and Pin It for Fast Launching (Win10/11)

Create a Custom Start Menu Folder (Apps List) and Pin It for Fast Launching (Win10/11)​

Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 10 minutes
Windows already gives you Start pins, taskbar pins, and desktop shortcuts—but once you have more than a handful of “must-have” apps, things get messy fast. A custom Start Menu folder (an Apps List group) lets you organize shortcuts into a clean folder name (for example Work, Admin Tools, Audio, Games, Troubleshooting) and then open that folder quickly from Start. You can also pin the folder to Start (Windows 11) or pin the included items as tiles (Windows 10), giving you a fast-launch hub without cluttering your desktop.
This tutorial shows how to create a custom folder that appears in the Start > All apps list, how to populate it with shortcuts, and how to make it easy to access.

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Prerequisites​

• Windows 10 or Windows 11
• A user account with permission to create shortcuts in the Start Menu folders (standard accounts usually work)
• Optional but recommended: know where your app’s .exe lives if it isn’t already in the apps list

Note (Win10 vs Win11):

• Windows 11 can pin folders/shortcuts directly into the Pinned area of Start.
• Windows 10 uses tiles (if you still have tiles enabled) and behaves slightly differently, but the Apps List folder method still works.

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Step-by-step: Create a custom Start Menu folder (Apps List group)​

1) Open the Start Menu Programs folder (your account)​

1. Press Win + R to open Run.
2. Type the following and press Enter:
   shell:programs
3. File Explorer opens to your user Start Menu shortcuts folder:
   • C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

This location affects only your account.

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2) (Optional) Open the “All Users” Start Menu Programs folder​

If you want the folder to show for every user account on the PC:

1. Press Win + R
2. Run:
   shell:common programs
3. File Explorer opens:
   • C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Tip: If you’re unsure, start with shell:programs (your account). You can always move it later.

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3) Create your custom folder​

1. In the Programs folder that opened, right-click empty space.
2. Choose New > Folder.
3. Name it something clear, like:
   • Work Tools
   • Graphics
   • Networking
   • Maintenance

Important: The folder name is exactly what you’ll see under Start > All apps, so keep it short and readable.

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4) Add app shortcuts to the folder​

You have a few ways to populate the folder.

Option A: Create a shortcut to an installed app (EXE)​

1. Open the folder you created.
2. Right-click empty space > New > Shortcut.
3. Click Browse… and select the app’s .exe (or paste the path).
4. Click Next, name the shortcut, then Finish.

Option B: Copy an existing Start Menu shortcut​

If the app already exists in Start:

1. Open Start and go to All apps.
2. Find the app, right-click it (Windows 11 may show “More”).
3. Choose Open file location (if available).
4. Copy the shortcut (Ctrl + C).
5. Paste it into your custom folder (Ctrl + V).

Option C: Create shortcuts for system tools (Control Panel items, MMC, etc.)​

You can also create shortcuts targeting built-in tools like:

• control.exe
• compmgmt.msc
• eventvwr.msc
• services.msc
• taskschd.msc

Example:

1. Right-click > New > Shortcut
2. Location:
   eventvwr.msc
3. Name it Event Viewer

Note: Some tools may require admin rights to run certain actions. The shortcut can exist without admin rights, but the tool may prompt for elevation when opened.

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5) Refresh Start and verify the folder appears​

1. Click Start.
2. Open All apps (Windows 11) or the apps list (Windows 10).
3. Scroll to your folder name.
4. Click the folder to expand and verify your shortcuts are inside.

If you don’t see it: restart Windows Explorer (see Troubleshooting) or sign out/in.

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Step-by-step: Pin it for fast launching (Windows 11 and Windows 10)​

Windows 11: Pin shortcuts (and optionally the folder contents) to Start​

Windows 11’s Start “Pinned” section is the quickest access point.

1. Go to Start > All apps.
2. Find your new folder and expand it.
3. Right-click an app shortcut inside it.
4. Choose Pin to Start.

Repeat for the most-used apps in your folder.

Note: Windows 11 typically pins shortcuts/apps, not the folder itself as a single tile in every edition/build. However, pinning the key items from that folder achieves the same “fast-launch hub” feel while keeping All apps organized.

Optional: Pin to the taskbar

1. Right-click the shortcut in All apps or search results.
2. Choose Pin to taskbar (if available).

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Windows 10: Pin items as tiles (Start tiles) for a grouped launcher​

Windows 10’s Start tiles let you create a neat block of apps.

1. Click Start and open the apps list.
2. Find your folder and expand it.
3. Right-click an item > Pin to Start.
4. Repeat for all items you want in your “launcher” group.
5. In the tile area, drag tiles together to form a group.
6. (Optional) Name the tile group:
   • Click above the group until you see Name group, then type a label like Work Tools.

Tip: This gives you a “folder-like” launch area on the Start screen, while the actual folder keeps your All apps list tidy.

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Tips, notes, and best practices​

Keep the folder clean and predictable​

• Use consistent naming (e.g., VPN - Company, VPN - Personal).
• Limit to 10–20 shortcuts per folder so it stays quick to scan.

Customize icons (optional)​

If multiple shortcuts look too similar:

1. Right-click the shortcut > Properties
2. Shortcut tab > Change Icon…
3. Pick a built-in icon or browse to an .ico file.

Use multiple folders for “roles”​

A common approach:

• Daily (5–8 apps you open constantly)
• Admin (Event Viewer, Services, Device Manager)
• Media (Audacity, VLC, HandBrake)
• Dev (VS Code, terminal, Git tools)

Warning about deleting shortcuts​

Deleting a shortcut from your custom Start folder does not uninstall the app. It only removes that Start Menu entry.

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Troubleshooting​

“My folder/shortcuts don’t show in Start > All apps”​

Try these in order:

1. Wait 10–30 seconds (Start indexing can lag slightly).
2. Restart Explorer:
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
   • Find Windows Explorer
   • Right-click > Restart
3. Sign out and sign back in, or reboot.

“Open file location” isn’t available for a Microsoft Store app​

Some Store apps don’t expose a normal shortcut location. Workarounds:

• Use Search: press Start, type the app name, then Pin to Start (Win11) or Pin to Start (Win10 tiles).
• If you need a shortcut, you can sometimes create one via shell:AppsFolder:
  1. Win + R → shell:AppsFolder
  2. Find the app, right-click → Create shortcut (Windows may place it on the Desktop)
  3. Move that shortcut into your custom Start folder

“Access denied” when editing the common programs folder​

If you used shell:common programs, you may need:

• Admin rights, or
• To copy shortcuts into your user folder (shell:programs) instead.

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Conclusion​

A custom Start Menu folder is a simple but powerful way to organize your most-used tools into a clean, logical group—without relying on a cluttered desktop or an endless All apps scroll. Once you’ve built one folder, you can create more for different workflows (work, gaming, troubleshooting), then pin the key items to Start or the taskbar for instant access.
Key Takeaways:

• Create a custom Apps List folder using shell:programs (per-user) or shell:common programs (all users).
• Add shortcuts by creating them from EXEs, copying existing Start shortcuts, or using shell:AppsFolder for Store apps.
• Pin your most-used items to Start (Win11) or as tiles and groups (Win10) for fast launching.
• If Start doesn’t update immediately, restart Windows Explorer or sign out/in.

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This tutorial was generated to help WindowsForum.com users get the most out of their Windows experience.