Stop Unpinned Apps from Reappearing in Windows 11

Are you frustrated with apps reappearing on your taskbar after you've unpinned them? Here are some effective methods to stop unpinned apps from reappearing in Windows 11.

What can I do if unpinned apps keep coming back on Windows 11?​

1. Restart File Explorer​

1. Right-click on the Start icon and select Task Manager.
2. Locate the Windows Explorer process.
3. Right-click on it and choose Restart.

Restarting File Explorer can refresh the taskbar and potentially resolve issues with apps re-pinning themselves.

2. Remove the Program Using Start Menu​

1. Type the app name in the Search box.
2. Right-click on the app when it appears in the search results.
3. Select Unpin from taskbar.

This method may work if the taskbar is not responding properly, allowing you to manage pinned items via the Start Menu.

3. Uninstall the Program and Delete the Shortcut​

1. Press Win + I to open Windows Settings.
2. Navigate to Apps > Apps & features.
3. Find the application, click it, and select Uninstall.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove the application.
5. Manually unpin the application from the taskbar by right-clicking and selecting Unpin from taskbar.

Uninstalling and reinstalling the app can sometimes clear corrupted settings that force the app to stay pinned.

4. Delete Pinned Apps Using File Explorer​

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Navigate to the path: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar.
3. Unhide all hidden folders if necessary.
4. Right-click on the shortcuts you want to delete and select Delete.

This method helps by directly removing the shortcuts from the taskbar folder.

5. Delete Taskband Key from Registry Editor​

1. Press Win + R, type "regedit", and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband.
3. Right-click on the Taskband key and select Delete.
4. Restart your computer.

Deleting the Taskband key can reset taskbar settings, helping remove persistent pinned apps.

6. Edit DefaultLayouts file​

1. Press the Windows key + R, paste the following and press Enter:%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\
   
2. When a new window opens, locate the DefaultLayouts file, right-click it and choose Edit with Notepad.
   
3. When Notepad opens, press Ctrl + F and search for taskbar:TaskbarPinList.
   
4. Remove apps that you don’t want between the following lines:<taskbar: TaskbarPinList> </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
   
5. Save changes and restart your PC.

7. Edit LayoutModification.xml File​

1. Navigate to C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\LayoutModification.xml.
2. Open the file with Notepad.
3. Remove the <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection> section by typing <!-- before the line and --> after it.
4. Save the file and close Notepad.
5. Manually unpin the apps and restart your computer.

Editing the LayoutModification.xml file can help by removing the section that forces apps to pin to the taskbar.

8. Create a New User Account​

1. Open Settings and navigate to Accounts > Family & other users.
2. Select Add someone else to this PC and follow the on-screen instructions to create a new account.
3. Press Ctrl + Alt + Del, then click on Switch user and log in with the new account.

Creating a new user account can resolve issues caused by corrupted user profiles.

9. Tweak Your Registry​

1. Open the Registry Editor by typing "regedit" in the Windows search bar and pressing Enter.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer.
3. If the Explorer folder doesn’t exist, create it.
4. Right-click on the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it NoPinningToTaskbar.
5. Set its value to 1.
6. Manually unpin the problematic apps and restart your computer.

This method prevents all apps from being pinned to the taskbar, which can stop recurring issues.

10. Use the Local Group Policy Editor​

1. Press Win + R, type "gpedit.msc", and press Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
2. Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar.
3. Enable the option Do not allow pinning programs to the taskbar.
4. Unpin the problematic programs before enabling this policy.

This method ensures that users cannot pin programs to the taskbar, preventing re-pinning issues.

By following these methods, you can effectively manage and prevent apps from re-pinning themselves to your taskbar on Windows 11.