Backup & Restore Taskbar Pinned Items in Windows 11

This guide shows you how to back up the shortcuts pinned to your Windows 11 taskbar and restore them later, whether you’re reinstalling Windows, switching to a new PC, or just want a safety copy. You’ll use a built-in PowerShell command to export the pinned items to a file, and then import that file when you need them back. No extra software is required.

What You’ll Need

• A Windows 11 PC with the taskbar items you want to back up.
• Permission to run PowerShell as an administrator (for the backup step, and for the restore step if you’re restoring to a different user account).
• A safe place to store the backup file, like a USB drive, external hard drive, or cloud storage.

Step-by-Step

Backing Up Pinned Items

1. Right-click the Start button (or press Win + X) and select Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
2. If the Terminal opens with Command Prompt, click the drop-down arrow next to the tab and choose Windows PowerShell.
3. Copy and paste the following command, then press Enter:
   Export-StartLayout -UseDesktopApplicationID -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\TaskbarBackup.json"
   This saves the layout (including pinned taskbar items) to a file named TaskbarBackup.json on your desktop.
4. Wait for the command to finish. You’ll see no output if it succeeds.
5. Check that the file was created. If you don’t see it, look in the folder you specified in the command. You can also run Get-Content "$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\TaskbarBackup.json" to see its contents.
6. Move the TaskbarBackup.json file to your backup location (USB, external drive, cloud, etc.).

Restoring Pinned Items

1. Copy the backup file to the PC where you want to restore the taskbar items.
2. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
3. Run the following command, replacing C:\path\to\TaskbarBackup.json with the actual location of your backup file:
   Import-StartLayout -LayoutPath "C:\path\to\TaskbarBackup.json" -MountPath $env:USERPROFILE
4. Press Enter. You may need to sign out and sign back in (or restart the PC) for the changes to take effect.
5. After signing back in, check your taskbar. The pinned items should be restored.

Common Mistakes

• Not running as administrator: Both commands require admin rights. If you get an error like “Access denied,” close and reopen PowerShell as administrator.
• Using the wrong path: If you specify a folder that doesn’t exist, the export will fail. Make sure the folder exists before running the command.
• Forgetting to move the backup file: The export only saves the file to your desktop. If you don’t move it to another drive, you’ll lose it when you reinstall Windows.
• Restoring to a different user account: The Import-StartLayout command works best when restoring to the same user profile. If you’re restoring to a different user, you may need to adjust the -MountPath parameter or use a different method.
• Confusing taskbar with Start menu: Export-StartLayout exports both Start menu and taskbar layout. The restore will apply to both, which is usually fine, but be aware.

Tips

• Back up regularly: Make a habit of exporting your taskbar layout after you add or remove pinned items, so your backup is always current.
• Use a descriptive filename: Include the date, like TaskbarBackup_2025-01-15.json, so you know which version you’re restoring.
• Test the backup: After creating the backup, try restoring it on a test PC or after a Windows update to make sure it works.
• Combine with other backups: If you’re using File History or a system image, include this file in those backups for a complete recovery.
• Manual alternative: If you only have a few pinned items, you can simply re-pin them manually. This guide is for bulk backup and restore.

Troubleshooting

• The export command fails with “The parameter is incorrect”: This often happens if the path is invalid. Double-check that the folder exists and you have write permission to it.
• The import command fails with “Access denied”: Make sure you’re running PowerShell as administrator. Also, the file must be readable by your user account.
• Taskbar items don’t appear after restore: Sign out and sign back in, or restart the PC. If that doesn’t work, try running the import command with the -Verbose flag to see more details.
• Restore works but some apps are missing: The backup only includes apps that are still installed on the system. If an app was uninstalled, its pinned shortcut won’t appear. Install the app first, then restore again.
• You get an error about “StartLayout” not being recognized: This command is only available in Windows 10/11. Make sure you’re using PowerShell, not Command Prompt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this backup include the order of pinned items?

Yes, the export captures the exact order and grouping of pinned items on the taskbar, so restoring brings them back in the same layout.

Can I restore the backup to a different Windows user account?

Yes, but you may need to use the -MountPath parameter to specify the target user’s profile path. For example: Import-StartLayout -LayoutPath "backup.json" -MountPath "C:\Users\NewUser".

Will this work if I’m moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11?

Generally, yes. The export/import feature is available in both, and the format is compatible. However, some legacy apps might not carry over perfectly.

Can I edit the JSON file to add or remove items manually?

Yes, the file is plain text. You can open it in Notepad and add or remove entries, but be careful—malformed JSON will cause the import to fail. It’s safer to use the export/import commands.

Does this backup include apps that are not installed?

No. If an app isn’t installed on the target PC, its pinned shortcut will be ignored. You need to install the app first, then restore.

Is there a way to back up only the taskbar, not the Start menu?

The Export-StartLayout command captures both. There’s no built-in way to separate them. However, you can manually edit the JSON to remove Start menu entries if you’re comfortable with the format.

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