Pin Microsoft Store to Taskbar not working in NTLite v2025.07.10548 for Windows 11 24H2

[tingbest]

Using NTLite v2025.07.10548 to customize Windows 11 24H2 (build 26100.4652, KB5062553), I face three issues:

1. Cannot pin Microsoft Store (version 22503.1400.1.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe) to the default user's taskbar, despite enabling "Allow pinning Store app to taskbar" in Settings.
2. Unable to set the taskbar search bar to "icon only" mode; it remains in full search bar mode.
3. Want to set Task Manager's default view to the "Performance" tab for all users, but unsure how to configure this in NTLite.

 

[garlin]

1. Cannot pin Microsoft Store (version 22503.1400.1.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe) to the default user's taskbar, despite enabling "Allow pinning Store app to taskbar" in Settings.

By default, Windows pins the Store app to every user's taskbar. Have you made any other changes?

2. Unable to set the taskbar search bar to "icon only" mode; it remains in full search bar mode.

NTLite uses the old method of updating SearchOnTaskbarMode for HKCU, but newer W11 releases require a switch to HKLM instead.
https://www.ntlite.com/community/in...n-windows-11-build-22621-1344.3440/post-33903

From the Registry screen, import the included reg file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"SearchOnTaskbarMode"=dword:00000001

3. Want to set Task Manager's default view to the "Performance" tab for all users, but unsure how to configure this in NTLite.

This requires creating a settings.json for Task Manager, and copying it the Default User's folder. It's no longer saved as a reg value.

1. From the Post-Setup screen, Add / File / Before logon (Machine) -> settings.json
2. Edit the Destination column to path "Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\TaskManager\settings.json"

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[tingbest]

By default, Windows pins the Store app to every user's taskbar. Have you made any other changes?

Hi, thanks for your reply! I haven’t made any changes to the default taskbar or Microsoft Store settings in NTLite. The "Allow pinning Store app to taskbar" option is enabled, and no Store or Taskbar-related components have been removed. I’m using a Windows 11 24H2 image from MSDN. The May 2025 version (build 26100.xxxx) worked fine for pinning the Store to the taskbar, but with the July 2025 update (build 26100.4652, KB5062553), it no longer pins to the default user’s taskbar. Any ideas on what might be causing this issue or how to resolve it?

 

[garlin]

I haven't heard of any issues, but then I don't pin apps in my test images. Is Store the only app which can't be pinned?

The only other workaround would be to copy a reference Start2.bin to the new user's profile. This way the pinned app is already embedded and doesn't have to go past whatever logic is not allowing it to be pinned. If it stopped working from May to July, it's probably a Windows bug.

 

[tingbest]

I haven't heard of any issues, but then I don't pin apps in my test images. Is Store the only app which can't be pinned?

All apps, including the Store app, can be manually pinned to the taskbar in Windows.
However, the "Allow pinning Store app to taskbar" setting in NTLite does not enable automatic pinning for the Store app