Windows 10 Start Menu: 'Pin to Start' Context Menu Option is Missing

[4o4E]

Before reporting your issue

• I have confirmed that this issue does not happen when ExplorerPatcher is not installed
• I do not have "register as shell extension" enabled
• I have tried my best to check existing issues

Repro ExplorerPatcher versions

26100.4946.69.4

Repro Windows Versions

Windows 11 24H2 26100.6584 AMD64

3rd party tweak software installed

Wallpaper Engine

Describe the bug

When using the Windows 10 Start Menu style provided by ExplorerPatcher, the "Pin to Start" option is entirely missing from the right-click context menu for all .exe files and their shortcuts (.lnk files).

I am unable to pin any application to the Start Screen/Tiles area. When I manually search for a program in the Start Menu, I can see the app, and when I right-click it, the context menu shows "Pin to Start Screen". However, clicking this option has no effect (the tile does not appear).

The shortcut files are correctly placed in C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

Expected outcome

The context menu should display the "Pin to Start" option, and selecting it should successfully add the tile to the Windows 10 Start Screen.

Actual outcome

The "Pin to Start" option is missing from the right-click context menu for .exe files and shortcuts.

Even when the option is available through the Start Menu search results, clicking "Pin to Start Screen" fails to create the tile.

Additional info

No response

Crash Dumps

No response

Media

No response

[pyrates999]

try this work around for pinning: #3984 (comment)

try this work around for unpinning: #3984 (comment)

[4o4E]

try this work around for pinning: #3984 (comment)

try this work around for unpinning: #3984 (comment)

Thank you for the suggestion.

However, a significant issue remains: many applications do not appear in the "All Apps" list even after their shortcuts are copied to the C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder.

Specifically, Windows native apps like Windows PowerShell, Windows Tools, and Windows System items do not get indexed or displayed in the "All Apps" section, making the drag-and-drop workaround impossible for these crucial programs.

This suggests the core problem with the Start menu's indexing and pinning mechanism in EP is still present.

[pyrates999]

Please comment here then as others will see it: #3984

[milestprower92]

@4o4E The Windows 10 Start menu code has been entirely removed on newer 23H2 and 24H2+ and recently Microsoft changed some code logic in system files
we are investigating this along with other issues, this will probably be fixed in future ExplorerPatcher updates