Lately we have been receiving questions about how to pin shortcuts to applications which include custom command line parameters. People want to start their favorite programs (Firefox, Foobar, Internet Explorer, etc) using custom parameters which make them run in specific ways. This guide will show how simple it is to create and pin shortcuts, which include command line arguments, to the taskbar or the Start Menu.
Step 1: Create a normal shortcut
The first step is to create a shortcut towards the executable/application you want. We have a tutorial for using the Create Shortcut wizard, called How To Create Shortcuts. Follow its instructions or... simply navigate to the executable of the application. Then, right click on it and select "Send to -> Desktop".
A normal shortcut towards the application is now found on your desktop.
Step 2: Edit the properties of the shortcut
It is time to add your additional parameters to the shortcut. For this tutorial, I used Internet Explorer 9 as an example. I wanted to add the "-private" parameter, so that when I click on the shortcut it starts a InPrivate browsing session.
Right click on the shortcut you just created and select Properties. Alternatively, you can select it with the mouse and press Alt+Enter on your keyboard.
The Properties window of the shortcut now opens. In the Shortcut tab, go to the Target field and add your parameters.
NOTE: When writing the parameters, make sure you search for a list with the command line parameters supported by the application for which you create the custom shortcut. Using unsupported parameters might cause problems when starting the application.
Once done editing the shortcut, click OK.
Step 3: Pin the Shortcut to the Taskbar or Start Menu
Right click on the modified shortcut and select Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu, depending on what you want.
I chose to pin the shortcut to the taskbar and now it is shown near my Start button.
When I click on the pinned taskbar shortcut, it starts Internet Explorer in InPrivate mode, as specified by the parameter I added.
Now you can delete the shortcut you created on your Desktop (or the location where you saved it). The pinned shortcut will remain on the taskbar or Start Menu.
Conclusion
As you can see, pinning shortcuts which include custom command line parameters is easy and doesn’t require too much additional work. For any other useful tips on pinning shortcuts, check out the articles recommended below.
Related articles:
How to Pin Special Windows Items to the Taskbar
How to Pin Any Folder to the Windows 7 Taskbar
Taskbar Productivity Tips & Shortcuts
How to Create your Own Custom Jump List