How to Pin YouTube to Taskbar in Windows 11

Do you want to pin YouTube to taskbar in Windows 11?

If you’re a Windows 11 user, you may know that desktop shortcuts and taskbar shortcuts are the best way to streamline your workflow and improve the accessibility of apps, programs, and websites.

Whether you frequently visit YouTube for entertainment or research, pinning YouTube shortcuts on your taskbar can save time and reduce distractions.

So, in this article, I’ll show you how to pin YouTube to taskbar in Windows 11 using Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera browsers.

Well, YouTube is one of the most popular and visited platforms for watching videos, listening to music, and streaming live events. If you’re a YouTube user, specifically a frequent user, pinning it to your taskbar in Windows 11 allows you quick and easy access.

Unlike most desktop apps, YouTube is a web application, but using a few simple steps, you can make YouTube pinned to your taskbar for usability.

After pinning YouTube to the taskbar, you can open the platform with just one click, just like any program or app that is pinned to the taskbar. So, you’ll gain multiple benefits that will make YouTube more accessible.

Why Do You Need to Pin YouTube to Taskbar in Windows 11

• Faster Access to YouTube: Once a YouTube is pinned to the taskbar, you don’t need to open a browser and type in the URL or search for it in your bookmarks. It only takes a single click.
• App-Like Experience: When YouTube is pinned to the taskbar using your favorite browser, it launches in the required browser window. This offers a cleaner and distraction-free interface.
• Save Your Time: Pinning YouTube to the taskbar can save you time because you can open it with just one click. You don’t need to open a browser and type the URL.
• Centralized Entertainment Hub: YouTube is a go-to platform for music, podcasts, and videos. Pinning it ensures your entertainment is always just one click away, making it a central part of your Windows 11 environment.

How to Pin YouTube to Taskbar in Windows 11

If you’re a Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser user, you might know that you can create a website shortcut to the desktop. After that, you can easily pin that shortcut to the taskbar.

But Google Chrome also provides an option to install a website as an app. So, you can use it as a standalone app.

However, the “Create shortcut to desktop” feature is available for all Chromium-based browsers. But Microsoft Edge provides the direct option to pin website shortcuts to the taskbar because of better integration with Windows 11.

So, you can pin the YouTube website to the taskbar for quick access. When you click on the icon or shortcut from the taskbar, YouTube will be open in the browser instantly.

You don’t need to worry; if you’re a Mozilla Firefox and Opera browser user, you can also do that.

1. Pin YouTube to Taskbar in Windows 11 Using Google Chrome

Google Chrome browser provides the option to create a desktop shortcut or install websites/webpages as an app for any website. This allows users to quickly open their favorite websites from the desktop directly.

After that, you can easily pin the desktop or app shortcut to the taskbar. The step-by-step guide is given below:

Steps to Install YouTube as an App and Pin to the Taskbar:

1. Open Google Chrome on your Windows 11 computer and open the https://youtube.com URL.
2. After opening YouTube, click on the three dots (Settings and more) from the top right and hover the mouse on the “Cast, save, and share” option.
3. From the new context menu, click on the “Install YouTube” option.
4. After that, you’ll see the popup; click on the Install button from the popup.
5. Now the YouTube homepage will be opened or moved to the new window, and you’ll see the YouTube shortcut on the desktop.
6. Right-click on the YouTube icon from the desktop and select “Show more options” from the context menu.
7. After that, the old interface context menu will be open. Select the “Pin to taskbar” option.
8. That’s it.

Alternatively, you can drag and drop the icon or shortcut from the desktop to the taskbar.

Steps to create a desktop shortcut for YouTube and pin it to the taskbar:

1. Open Google Chrome and open the https://youtube.com URL. Click on the three dots (Settings and more) icon from the top right and hover the mouse on the “Cast, save, and share” option.
2. Click on the “Create Shortcut” option.
3. After that, you’ll see the popup. Click on the Create button from the popup.
   Tip: You can also give the name to the shortcut.
4. Minimize or close the browser, and you’ll see the shortcut on the desktop.
5. Right-click on the newly created shortcut and select “Show more options” from the context menu.
6. After that, a new context menu will be opened with an old user interface.
7. Click on the “Pin to taskbar” option.
8. That’s it.

Alternatively, you can drag and drop the shortcut from the desktop to the taskbar.

2. Pin YouTube to Taskbar in Windows 11 Using Microsoft Edge

Because Microsoft Edge is a default browser in Windows 11, that’s why it is integrated with the operating system.

The browser gives the direct option to pin any web page to the taskbar.

Unlike Chrome browser, you cannot install a web page as an app in Edge browser.

So, when you open YouTube from the taskbar after pinning, YouTube will open in the Edge browser. The step-by-step guide is given below.

1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser on your Windows 11 computer and open the https://youtube.com URL using the address bar.
2. After opening YouTube, click on the three horizontal dots from the top right and hover the mouse on the More Tools option.
3. After that, click on the “Pin to taskbar” option.
4. You’ll see the popup message at the bottom right of the screen for confirmation. Click on the Yes button to proceed.
5. That’s it. You’ll see the YouTube icon on the taskbar.

3. Pin YouTube to Taskbar in Windows 11 Using Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox doesn’t provide the option to pin or create a desktop/taskbar shortcut. But you can do this task manually.

If you use Firefox as your default browser or watch YouTube videos on the Firefox browser, you can easily create a desktop shortcut for this browser, and after that, you can pin that shortcut to the taskbar.

The steps are given below:

Step 1: Create a Firefox YouTube Shortcut on the Desktop

1. Right-click on the empty area of the desktop and select New » Shortcut from the context menu.
2. Now the Create Shortcut popup window will be open. Click on the Browse button from the window.
3. Navigate to This PC » C:\ Drive » Program Files » Mozilla Firefox and select the firefox.exe file. After that, click on the OK button. If you’re unable to locate the firefox.exe, then open Program Files (X86) from the C:\ drive.
4. The file location will be added to the Create Shortcut window text field.
5. Now click at the end of the file location and press the spacebar button. After that, type https://youtube.com and click on the Next button.
6. On the next window, give the name to the shortcut. By default, the shortcut name is firefox.exe, you can replace it with YouTube. After that, click on the Finish button.

Step 2: Change the Shortcut Icon from Firefox to YouTube

1. After creating the shortcut, you’ll see the Firefox icon on your desktop. So, you need to download the YouTube icon and change it. The download button is given below to download the YouTube with the .ico file.
   Download YouTube.ico Icon
2. After downloading the icon, right-click on the created shortcut and select Properties from the context menu.
3. Now click on the Change icon button, and the new popup window will open.
4. Click on the Browse button and browse the downloaded icon from your downloads folder or the folder where you save.
5. Select the downloaded icon and click on the Open button.
6. Now click on the OK button and then again on the Apply and OK buttons.

Step 3: Pin YouTube to Taskbar (using Firefox)

1. Right-click on the shortcut icon and click on the Show More options from the context menu.
2. Now the new context menu will be open with the old interface.
3. Click on the Pin to taskbar option. Tip: You can delete the desktop shortcut after pinning.
4. That’s it.

4. Pin YouTube to Taskbar in Windows 11 Using Opera

The Opera browser also doesn’t allow us to create a website shortcut on the desktop or pin the shortcut to the taskbar. But you can easily pin YouTube to the taskbar using the Opera browser within a few steps.

The steps are given below.

Step 1: Create Opera YouTube Shortcut on the Desktop

1. First, click on the Start Menu (Windows icon) and go to All Apps, and you’ll see the list of all installed apps and programs on your computer.
2. Now right-click on the Opera from the list and go to More » Open file location.
3. After that, the file explorer will be open, and the Opera Browser file will be selected by default.
4. Right-click on the Opera Browser file and open Properties from the context menu.
5. Now the Opera browser execution file’s properties will be open. Copy the address from the Target field.
6. Close or minimize the browser and go to the desktop.
7. Now right-click on the empty area of the desktop and go to New » Shortcut.
8. The Create shortcut window will be open. Paste the copied address in the “Type the location of the item field.”.
9. After that, click at the end of the address and press the spacebar button, and type https://youtube.com. Click on the Next button.
10. Give the name to the shortcut, replace the default name with YouTube, and click on the Finish button.

Step 2: Change the Shortcut Icon from Opera to YouTube

1. After creating the shortcut, you need to change the shortcut icon. Because the shortcut icon is the Opera browser icon by default. So, you need to download the YouTube icon in .ico format. The download button is given below to download the icon.
   Download YouTube.ico Icon
3. After downloading the icon, right-click on the shortcut and click on the Properties option.
4. Now click on the Change icon button.
5. On the next popup window, click on the Browse button.
6.  Select the downloaded icon from the downloads folder. After selecting the icon, click on the Open button.
7. Click on the OK button and then the Apply and OK buttons.
8. Now the shortcut icon has been changed.

Step 3: Pin YouTube to the Taskbar (using Opera)

1. Right-click on the shortcut icon and click on Show more options.
2. The new context menu will be open with the old user interface. Click on the Pin to taskbar option.
3. Now the YouTube will be pinned to the taskbar.
   Tip: You can delete the desktop shortcut after pinning it to the taskbar.
4. That’s it.

Final Words

I hope this article helped you know how to pin YouTube to taskbar in Windows 11. However, YouTube’s official app or software is not available for Windows 11, but you can easily pin the shortcut using the browser.

This will help you to open the platform with one click and save your time. Because you don’t need to open the browser and type the URL in the address bar.

Also, if you’re a Google Chrome user, you can install YouTube as an app. And that’s the best option.