The quickest way to pin Google to the taskbar in Windows 11 is in Microsoft Edge: go to google.com, select Settings and more (…) > More tools > Pin to taskbar, and confirm. In Google Chrome, go to google.com, select More (⋮) > Cast, save, and share > Create shortcut, select Create, and then pin the new shortcut. Either way, a Google button appears on your taskbar and opens the Google home page with one click.
Applies to: Windows 11. Checked against Microsoft and Google Chrome Help on September 30, 2026.
Windows 11 doesn’t let you drag a web address onto the taskbar, as some older versions of Windows did. You pin a website through your browser instead. The same steps work for Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar and any other website.
Pin Google with Microsoft Edge
Edge is built into Windows 11 and has a direct Pin to taskbar option.
- Open Microsoft Edge and go to www.google.com.
- Select Settings and more (…) in the upper-right corner.
- Select More tools > Pin to taskbar.
- If Windows asks whether to pin it, select Pin or Yes.
The pinned button always opens in Edge, even if another browser is your default.
Pin Google with Google Chrome
Chrome doesn’t pin a site in one step. You create a shortcut first, and then pin it.
- Open Chrome and go to www.google.com.
- Select More (⋮) in the upper-right corner, and then select Cast, save, and share > Create shortcut.
- Keep the name or type a new one, such as Google.
- Check Open as window if you want Google to open in its own window without tabs. Leave it unchecked to open Google in a normal Chrome tab.
- Select Create.
Chrome adds the shortcut to your desktop and the Start menu. To pin it:
- If Windows asks whether to pin the shortcut to the taskbar, select Yes.
- Otherwise, select Start > All, find the shortcut, right-click it and select Pin to taskbar. You can also right-click the shortcut on your desktop and select Show more options > Pin to taskbar.
On some sites, including Gmail and Google Drive, Chrome also offers Cast, save, and share > Install page as app, or an Install button in the address bar. An installed app works the same way and can be pinned from the Start menu.
Pin Google with Firefox
Firefox doesn’t have a pin option for websites. You can make a desktop shortcut that opens Firefox straight to Google, and then pin it.
- If Firefox is already pinned to your taskbar, right-click it and select Unpin from taskbar first. Otherwise, the new shortcut may merge with the Firefox button.
- Right-click an empty part of the desktop and select New > Shortcut.
- For the location, type the path to Firefox in quotation marks, a space, and the Google address. On most PCs it’s:
"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" https://www.google.com
- Select Next, type Google as the name, and select Finish.
- Right-click the new shortcut, select Show more options > Pin to taskbar.
If Firefox is installed somewhere else, search for Firefox in the Start menu, right-click it, select Open file location, and use that path instead. You can pin Firefox itself again afterward.
Pin Gmail, Google Drive and other Google apps
Use the same steps with the address of the app you want, such as mail.google.com for Gmail, drive.google.com for Google Drive or calendar.google.com for Google Calendar. Each one gets its own taskbar button. If you use Chrome, check Open as window so each app opens in its own window and shows up separately on the taskbar.
Pin the Chrome browser itself
If you want Chrome on the taskbar rather than the Google home page, open Chrome, right-click its icon on the taskbar and select Pin to taskbar. Or select Start, find Google Chrome, right-click it and select Pin to taskbar.
Make Google open every time you start your browser
Pinning Google saves a click, but you can also make Google your browser’s search engine or start page. Then every search from the address bar goes to Google. See how to make Google the default search engine in Windows 11. To have links open in Chrome instead of Edge, see how to change the default browser in Windows 11.
Move or unpin Google
- To move it: drag the Google button left or right along the taskbar.
- To unpin it: right-click the Google button and select Unpin from taskbar. This only removes the button. It doesn’t delete anything from your browser.
- To remove a Chrome shortcut completely: delete the shortcut from your desktop, or uninstall the app from Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps if you installed it as an app.
If you can’t pin Google
- Pin to taskbar isn’t in Edge’s More tools menu. Update Edge by going to Settings and more > Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge, and then try again.
- The pinned button opens a new tab in a window you already have open. In Chrome, create the shortcut again with Open as window checked.
- The button shows a plain icon. This can happen when the site’s icon hasn’t loaded. Unpin it, reload the page and pin it again.
- You can’t change the taskbar at all. On a work or school PC, your organization can lock the taskbar layout. Ask your IT administrator.
For more ways to set up the taskbar, see how to hide the taskbar in Windows 11 and how to move the taskbar in Windows 11.
To make email links on your PC open Gmail too, see how to set Gmail as the default email in Windows 11.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drag Google onto the taskbar in Windows 11?
No. Windows 11 doesn’t support dragging links onto the taskbar. Use your browser’s pin or shortcut option instead.
Which browser opens when I click the pinned Google button?
The browser you pinned it from. A button pinned from Edge opens in Edge, and a shortcut made in Chrome opens in Chrome.
Can I pin Google to the Start menu instead?
Yes. In Edge, select More tools > Pin to Start. In Chrome, the shortcut is already in the Start menu under All, and you can right-click it and select Pin to Start.
Does pinning Google sign me in or change my settings?
No. The button only opens the page. You stay signed in or signed out just as you are in that browser.
Next steps
On a Windows 10 PC, see how to pin a website to the taskbar in Windows 10. Google explains its shortcut steps in Create shortcuts for websites in Chrome.
You can install other sites as apps the same way. For example, see how to install YouTube on Windows 11.
Related: How to pin Chrome to the taskbar in Windows 11.
Related: pin Chrome to the taskbar in Windows 10.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.