TYPO3 Backend Menu Improvements: Pinned items for quick access

[erreti (Roberto Torresani)]

Idea Title

TYPO3 Backend Menu Improvements: Pinned items for quick access

What is my idea about? What is the problem we are solving?

TYPO3’s flexibility and extensibility make it easy to install additional extensions that often come with their own backend modules. These modules appear in the backend module menu, which can quickly become crowded - especially in medium or large-scale projects. Navigating through numerous menu groups and scrolling up and down to find frequently used modules becomes time-consuming and sometimes also frustrating.

To improve the user experience and streamline backend navigation, we propose introducing a Pinned Items group in the backend module menu - similar to favorites or quick access features found in systems like GitLab.

With this feature, backend users will be able to pin their most-used modules for quick access. The pinned group will appear at the top of the module menu, making it easy to jump directly to the most relevant tools without having to navigate through large lists.

What do you want to achieve by the end of Q3 2025?

• Pinned items group placement
  The pinned items group will be rendered at the top of the module menu, ideally just below the Dashboard (if it is installed).
• Highlighting synchronization
  When a pinned module is opened, it will be highlighted both in its original group and in the pinned section
• Pin/Unpin interaction
  • Hovering over any menu item outside the pinned group will display a pin icon to allow quick pinning
  • Hovering over a pinned item will display an unpin icon for easy removal
• Drag and drop reordering
  Users can reorder pinned items within the group via drag and drop
• Integration into Backend User Settings
  • Below the existing Start up in the following module setting, users will be able to manage pinned items in a new section (e.g., via a list of checkboxes or side-by-side select field)
  • The Dashboard and modules the user does not have access to will not be shown in this list
  • Changes in this section will immediately reflect in the menu view
• Feature toggle option
  Administrators can enable/disable the pinned items feature per backend user group and each backend user can also enable/disable it when having an access to this feature. It will be enabled by default.
• New icon
  A new pin icon will be added to the TYPO3 icon set to support this feature visually.
• Update documentation
  Describe new features and configuration options in the TYPO3 documentation.

To ensure the feature aligns with TYPO3’s design principles and coding standards, development will involve close collaboration with:

• TYPO3 Core Developers - for architectural and technical feedback
• TYPO3 UX/UI Team - to ensure the feature integrates seamlessly with the current backend design and user expectations

This collaboration will also help speed up the process of getting the feature accepted into the TYPO3 core.

What is the potential impact of my idea for the overall goal?

This feature is particularly beneficial for users managing medium or complex TYPO3 installations with numerous modules. With the ability to pin frequently used modules at the top of the menu:

• Users save time by avoiding unnecessary scrolling and searching
• The backend becomes more personalized and efficient
• The overall user experience is significantly improved, especially for editors and administrators who rely on quick access to specific tools

This enhancement reflects a modern, user-focused approach already seen in other mature platforms, and we think it is a good idea to have it also in TYPO3

How does my Idea align with the strategic goals for TYPO3 v14.

Strategic Goal 2 — Reducing Complexity: TYPO3 should offer a modern and consistent user interface, self-explanatory workflows, and clear and unified best practices.

Strategic Goal 4 — Improve Customer-Oriented Communication: Better backend user experience through clear best practices and in-system support.

Which budget do we need for this idea?

10000 Euro

My Name

Marcin Sągol

[sorenmalling]

How does your proposal and the existing “Bookmark” differ in creating the described user experience of accessing much used modules?

[soee (Marcin Sągol)]

Hi @sorenmalling,
The Modules menu is (and in my opinion, should be) the primary place users rely on to navigate through different modules.

While Bookmarks allow users to group shortcuts to various record types, I believe this feature is not easily discoverable or frequently used (perhaps only by experienced users who are already aware of it).

By adding modifications directly to the Modules menu, we ensure that users will always see the new section. It remains in the same context as existing module links (the main navigation), and doesn’t mix with shortcuts to individual records or unrelated items. This keeps the focus entirely on the main navigation. Users will have all menu-related links in one place, with the added benefit of being able to pin and sort them as they wish.

The main goal is to make navigation through TYPO3 modules easier and more intuitive for both new and existing users and not to complicate it by sending them elsewhere, like the bookmarks menu. Users might know this feature from other products like GitLab, ISPManager etc. .

When I think about new users, my priority is always to make the TYPO3 backend as simple, clear, and user-friendly as possible, so they don’t feel lost and can navigate confidently.

This is not directly part of this initiative, but I’ve also been thinking about possibly renaming or reorganizing some of the menu entries…

…to make this menu as friendly as possible (and maybe align it a bit with other popular products).

[obartsch (Oli Bartsch)]

Hi Marcin,

I really like the idea of bringing more individualization to the user experience — and I fully support this initiative. What I particularly appreciate is that this proposal aims to be implemented as a core component, with all the relevant teams involved from the very beginning. That kind of alignment is absolutely key to the success of a feature like this.

I just have a couple of small, personal remarks and questions:

• I’d personally love the flexibility to freely sort the module menu, without necessarily needing a dedicated “favorites” group.
• If we do go with a separate group for favorites, I’m not sure duplicating menu items is the best approach — it might lead to confusion and could also raise some technical challenges.
• Lastly, having a pin/unpin option appear on every hover might feel a bit intrusive over time. I think having drag & drop and a selection option in user settings already provides enough control.

Thanks again for your thoughtful work on this — I’m really looking forward to seeing it take shape!

Best,
Oli