Unpinned Apps Keep Coming Back on Windows 11: How to Stop it

This can be fixed by modifying a single file

Windows 11 » Repair

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by Milan Stanojevic 

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unpinned apps keep coming back windows 11

Many users remove the default apps from the Taskbar, however, some complain that unpinned apps keep coming back on Windows 11, so today we’re going to show you how to fix this issue.

Why can’t I unpin an app from the Taskbar?

This can happen if there’s a problem with your profile, specifically with the DefaultLayouts file.

What can I do if unpinned apps keep coming back on Windows 11?

Edit DefaultLayouts file

  1. Press the Windows key + R, paste the following and press Enter: %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\
     windows shell run dialog
  2. When a new window opens, locate the DefaultLayouts file, right-click it and choose Edit with Notepad.
    edit in notepad
  3. When Notepad opens, press Ctrl + F and search for taskbar:TaskbarPinList.
    taskbar pin list find in notepad
  4. Remove apps that you don’t want between the following lines: <taskbar: TaskbarPinList> </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
    taskbarpinlist remove
  5. Save changes and restart your PC.

As you can see, you can easily fix the problem with unpinned apps if they keep coming back on Windows 11. However, covered a similar issue where users reported that they can’t unpin items from Taskbar, so don’t miss it.

To learn more about pinning, we have a great guide on how to pin apps to the Start Menu in Windows 11 as well as an article on how to hide running apps from Taskbar, so don’t hesitate to check them out to learn more.

More about the topics: Taskbar, Windows 11 Fix

Milan Stanojevic

Milan Stanojevic Shield

Windows Toubleshooting Expert

Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He's a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology. Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he's one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.