How to Add Folder Shortcuts to the Start Menu on Windows 11

This practical guide walks through how to add folder shortcuts to the start menu on Windows 11, explains the main requirements, and highlights common issues that may appear along the way.

To add a folder shortcut to the Start Menu on Windows 11, you just need to do the following simple steps.

First, access the Settings app by pressing the Windows + i key combination, or clicking the pinned gear icon in the Start menu.

On the Settings interface that opens, navigate to Personalization > Start.

In the Start menu settings screen, click 'Folders'.

You'll see a list of the names of special folders on the system, along with the corresponding switches to the right of them. When you enable this switch, the corresponding application shortcut will be displayed in the Start menu. The main options include 'Settings,' 'File Explorer,' 'Documents,' 'Downloads,' 'Music,' 'Pictures,' 'Videos,' 'Network,' and 'Personal Folder' (the main folder in the document). your account). Activate whatever options you want.

Then close Settings. When you click the Start button, you will see the shortcuts of the folders you have activated listed in the lower right corner of the Start menu, right next to the power button.

If you change your mind and want to remove the shortcuts of special folders from the Start menu, just go back to Settings > Personalization > Start > Folders and set the switches to off.