Get quick access to programs you frequently use.

How would you like to make the programs you access most often appear right below your user icon in WinXP's Start menu? Today Patrick shows you how to pin down your programs so you'll never again have to search for them in the All Programs list.

Pin 'em down
Here's how to pin a program to the Start menu.

  1. Click your Start menu.
  2. Mouse over All Programs.
  3. Locate the program icon you want to pin beneath your user icon.
  4. Right-click the program icon.
  5. Choose "Pin to Start menu."


You should be able to pin as many icons to your Start menu as your screen resolution will allow.

Let 'em loose
Here's how to unpin an icon from your Start menu.

  1. Click your Start menu.
  2. Mouse over the program icon you want to unpin.
  3. Right-click the program.
  4. Choose "Unpin from Start menu."