How to Create and Pin a Run Shortcut in Windows 10

The fastest way to open the Run dialog is still Windows + R. If you prefer using the mouse, Windows 10 also lets you create a Run shortcut and pin it to Start or the Taskbar. The shortcut opens the same Run dialog; it does not execute a command by itself.

Create the Run shortcut

1. Right-click an empty area of the desktop and select New > Shortcut.

   

2. In Type the location of the item, enter this command exactly:

   explorer.exe shell:::{2559a1f3-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}

   Select Next.

   

3. Name the shortcut Run, then select Finish.

   

Give the shortcut a Run icon

The new shortcut may use a generic File Explorer icon. You can replace it with a more recognizable system icon:

1. Right-click the Run shortcut and choose Properties.

   

   

2. On the Shortcut tab, select Change Icon. You do not need to enable Run as administrator for the Run dialog itself.

   

3. In Look for icons in this file, enter %SystemRoot%\System32\shell32.dll, press Enter, and choose an icon. Select OK, then Apply.

   

Pin Run to Start or the Taskbar

Right-click the completed shortcut and select Pin to Start to add it to the Windows 10 Start menu.

To add it to the Taskbar, right-click the shortcut and select Pin to taskbar. If that command is not displayed, drag the shortcut onto the Taskbar.

Use Run safely

Run accepts program names, system tools, paths, and URLs. Check a command before submitting it, especially if it changes system settings. To launch a command with elevated rights, type it in Run and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter; approve the User Account Control prompt only if you trust the command.

If you work mainly from the keyboard, the shortcut adds little value: use Windows + R instead. See the Windows keyboard shortcut reference for other time-saving combinations. You can also learn how to open Command Prompt or create a dedicated Windows shutdown shortcut.

Remove the shortcut

Right-click the pinned item and select Unpin from taskbar or Unpin from Start. You can then delete the desktop shortcut. Removing it does not disable the built-in Run dialog.