Windows 10 Is there a way to setup URL shortcuts as pinned items using customized layout XML start menu/taskbar GPO in Windows 10?

[IsaacGonz]

Hello all,


Running Windows 10 build 1809

I have been trying to build a customized layout start menu/taskbar XML GPO and have been successful all except putting a URL shortcut on the taskbar. The documentation states I need a application model ID or a Desktop Link Application path.


Here is my existing layout.

<LayoutModificationTemplate
xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
Version="1">
<LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" />
<DefaultLayoutOverride LayoutCustomizationRestrictionType="OnlySpecifiedGroups">
<StartLayoutCollection>
<defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6">
<start:Group Name="Create">
<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="2" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub" />
<start:Tile Size="4x2" Column="2" Row="0" AppUserModelID="microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.WindowsLive.Mail" />
<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" AppUserModelID="microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.WindowsLive.Calendar" />
<start:TargetedContentTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="2" TileID="T~DynamicLayouts:1!6" />
</start:Group>
<start:Group Name="Play">
<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="3" Row="0" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.ZuneMusic_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.ZuneMusic" />
<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="2" Row="1" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="0" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="2" Row="0" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.ZuneVideo_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.ZuneVideo" />
<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="3" Row="1" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.WindowsMaps_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
</start:Group>
<start:Group Name="Explore">
<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="2" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.BingWeather_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationID="Chrome" />
<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="0" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge" />
<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="4" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.MSPaint_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.MSPaint" />
<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="2" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.SkypeApp_kzf8qxf38zg5c!App" />
<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="4" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.BingNews_8wekyb3d8bbwe!AppexNews" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationID="https://mywebsite.com/vpn/index.html" />
<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="2" AppUserModelID="E046963F.LenovoCompanion_k1h2ywk1493x8!App" />
</start:Group>
</defaultlayout:StartLayout>
</StartLayoutCollection>
</DefaultLayoutOverride>
<CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
<defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
<taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
<taskbaresktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\File Explorer.lnk" />
<taskbaresktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\programs\Google Chrome.lnk" />
<taskbar:UWA AppUserModelID="Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge" />

</taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
</defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
</CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>



The URL shortcut in the start menu layout portion works nicely as I have placed the actual URL shortcut on the file system of the machines via a GPO startup script which matches the url specified in DesktopApplicationID. Any idea how to get it working on the task bar as well? When I use <taskbaresktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\programs\mywebsite.url" /> nothing shows up.


scratching my head as this seems silly that you cannot add this to the taskbar so I figure I would ask the question and see if anyone knows a way to do it. I searched and searched for a potential solution but came up short on trying the few things that were used as solutions.


thanks,

Isaac

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