Pinning the PC Settings App for Easy Access on Windows 8.1
Have you ever wanted to quickly access the PC Settings app on your Windows 8.1 system? Well, I’m here to show you how! By pinning it to either your Start Screen or Taskbar, you’ll have the convenience of accessing it with just a click.
Let’s start with pinning it to the Start Screen. First, open up the PC Settings app. You can do this by either searching for it in the search box or swiping from the right and selecting “Settings.” Once you have the app open, right-click anywhere in the window and select the “Pin to Start” option.
Now, head back to your Start Screen and you’ll see the PC Settings app tile ready for you. You can move it around and place it wherever you like for easier access. Just a click away and you’re in!
If you prefer to have the PC Settings app on your Taskbar instead, it’s just as easy. Open the app again and right-click anywhere in the window. This time, select the “Pin to Taskbar” option. And just like that, you’ll see the PC Settings icon right there on your Taskbar.
With PC Settings pinned to either your Start Screen or Taskbar, you’ll never have to go searching for it again. It’s always just a click away, allowing you to quickly access and customize your Windows 8.1 system.
So go ahead and personalize your Windows experience by pinning the PC Settings app to your Start Screen or Taskbar. Enjoy the convenience of easy access and make controlling your system settings a breeze!
Even though Windows 8.1 is said to be improving the divide between the “Metro” and Desktop interfaces in Windows 9 next year, if you’re using Windows 8.1 on your desktop, you still have to go to the Metro side of the operating system for certain important functions. One example is the PC Settings app, which manages key Windows features like user accounts and product activation.
To access the PC Settings app, normally you would swipe in from the right side of the screen (or place your mouse cursor in the lower-right corner of the screen), select “Settings,” and then click “Change PC settings.”
However, one of our readers who frequently needs to access PC Settings asked if there was an easier or quicker way to launch the app. And fortunately, there is! Since PC Settings is just another Metro app, you can pin it to your Start Screen or, with Windows 8.1 Update, add it to your Desktop taskbar. Here’s how:
Add PC Settings to the Windows 8.1 Start Screen
To add the PC Settings app to your Start Screen, you first need to find it. Instead of using the Charms bar and launching PC Settings the traditional way, open the Start Screen and use the Windows 8 search feature to search for “PC Settings” (just start typing “PC Settings” and the app should appear before you finish). 
Once you see the PC Settings result in the Windows 8 search list, right-click (or tap and hold if you’re using a touch device) and choose Pin to Start. This will add PC Settings to your Windows 8 Start Screen, where you can use the standard tile control options to reposition and resize it how you like. 
Add PC Settings to the Windows 8.1 Desktop Taskbar
If you have at least Windows 8.1 Update on your Desktop, you can also pin Metro apps to the Taskbar. There are two ways to do this. First, you can follow the steps above to pin PC Settings to the Start Menu, but instead choose “Pin to Taskbar” instead of “Pin to Start.”
The second method is to use the Desktop interface. First, launch PC Settings through any method and then go back to the Desktop. In Windows 8.1 Update, Metro apps appear on the Taskbar when running in the background. Since you just launched PC Settings, you will find it in the Taskbar with your other apps. 
Right-click on PC Settings in the Taskbar and choose Pin this program to the taskbar. Now, when you close PC Settings, the app will stay in your Taskbar and be easy to access along with your other frequently-used Desktop apps.
