Is there a way to pin a Firefox URL as a separate item on the Windows 10 taskbar?

Question

A client wants a link to his Gmail pinned to his Windows 10 taskbar. He does not want it to be a Pinned item on the Jump List for Firefox. Instead, he wants a separate pinned item all on its own for the link. I know that I can use a switch/argument appended to a desktop shortcut for Firefox, but I don't think I can pin a shortcut to the taskbar, at least not without installing something like DisplayFusion (which is my last resort). Could I maybe pin a scheduled task somehow?

This particular client is very particular about things, but he is very wealthy and provides me with a lot of work, so I try and do everything he wants as exactly to his specifications as possible.

Solution

While the entire process isn't quite as simple as it is with Chrome or Edge, it is still relatively easy:

1. Create a new Desktop shortcut that points to Firefox. The easiest method is to open the Firefox installation directory, right-click on firefox.exe, and select Create shortcut from the context menu. The default 64-bit Firefox installation directory is C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox, while the default 32-bit Firefox installation directory is C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox.

2. Select Yes when Windows informs you that the shortcut cannot be created in the Firefox directory. The shortcut is created on the desktop, instead.

   

3. Right-click on the new Firefox shortcut and select Properties from the menu.

4. Append the URL of the site that you want opened by the shortcut within the Target field, e.g., "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -url https://superuser.com/

   

5. Click on OK to save the changes.
6. Right-click on the desktop shortcut and select Rename to change it to something more appropriate. In our example, we decided on "Super User"

7. Right-click on the desktop shortcut again and select Pin to taskbar. Optionally, you may delete the desktop shortcut once you are done.

   
   

Sources:
Add your favorite websites to the Windows 10 Taskbar
How do I pin a Firefox shortcut to the taskbar in Windows 10?

Comments

[Braden Dodge]

This worked like a charm! I am now using the same method for increased productivity (fewer clicks to get somewhere) myself. Thank you!

[Braden Dodge]

I had no idea that a shortcut to a program with a swich/argument at the end could be pinned pinned as a separate item as a normal shortcut to the same program. Again, thanks!

[Run5k]

Always glad to help! And yes, for those people who are big fans of managing their Windows operating system via the taskbar, customized shortcuts are very useful.

[tinker]

this works but it will not be opened in a separate window, like a separate app. Any way to achieve this? It's possible in Chrome

[Run5k]

@tinker yes, you can do that. When you append the URL within the shortcut's Target field, instead of using -url before the hyperlink address, change the syntax to -new-window

[tinker]

Thanks that works.