There is a native way to create shortcuts on the Desktop for any Store app you have installed on your Windows 10 PC. This trick is possible thanks to the secret hidden folder "Applications". In this article, I would like to show you how you can do it.
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Wouldn't it be convenient to create a shortcut to launch the modern Mail, Skype, OneDrive, Photos, Camera or any modern (UWP) app you have installed from the Store without using third party tools? Well, this is very easy, but not quite obvious! Let's discover this hidden secret feature right now.
The method described below involves a special shell folder which can be opened by the following command (type it in the Run dialog):
shell:AppsFolder
Note: The command above is a special Shell command. See the following article:
List of shell commands in Windows 10
Here is how it looks:
The folder shows all installed apps in the list. The list includes classic Desktop apps along with Store apps.
Readers of Winaero are familiar with this folder. In our previous articles, we used it a lot. See
- How to start a Modern app from desktop without going to the Metro Start Screen
- How to launch the Universal File Explorer app in Windows 10
- Run the Lock Screen as a regular Modern app in Windows 10 with a shortcut or command line
Now, let's see how we can use this folder to create a shortcut for any Store app.
To create a Desktop shortcut for a Store app in Windows 10, do the following.
- Press the Win + R keys together on your keyboard to open the Run dialog and type shell:AppsFolder in the run box.
- Hit the Enter key to open the Applications folder.
- Now, drag and drop the shortcut of the desired app to the Desktop.
Windows will create a new shortcut for it instantly!
Now, you can move this shortcut to any convenient location, pin it to taskbar or to Start, add to All apps or add to Quick Launch (see how to enable Quick Launch). You can also assign a global hotkey to your shortcut.
That's it.
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BRILLIANT SOLUTION!!!
(I used it for Skype.)
Also had to use this to put a Skype “app” shortcut on the desktop – quick and easy solution!
I tried this but still can’t find the Skype App. I know it’s there somewhere because I use it, but would really like a shortcut!
Thanks for the article.. BTW I too used it for Skype…!!!!
Oh my God, thank you SO MUCH, I’ve been looking for this everywhere!!
If I put (move/copy) such a newly created Metro / modernUI app .lnk shortcut file somewhere into:
A) \ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\
or
B) \Users\user1\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\
folders (or their subfoldres)
..then I get one interesting consequence:
Starting that modernUI app, either from it’s original shortcut, or from newly created one .lnk – and it works, but there’s no app icon on taskbar, just empty highlighted square. Sometimes It goes that way from 1st launch of the app, sometimes from the 2nd one. Moving that .lnk shortcut elsewhere, out of these A / B folders (or just deleting it) – and (again, after 1st or 2nd restart) the app returns to start normally, with its icon again present on taskbar.
I’ve spent 5 or 6 goddamn hours, trying to figure out why the hell it happens. Searching on Google for something like “Windows 10 Modern UI Metro app no taskbar icon”, reading all those damn common recomendations, using DISM and SFC, and PS / CMD scripts, etc., etc., etc. No result. Then I’ve started undoing step by step all “not default” that I’ve done with this newly installed system. And here it is. Straight causal relationship.
By the way, temporarily disabling Windows Search service (as an experiment) didn’t change anything, after which I gave up – okay, I will not put custom made .lnk for Modern UI / Metro apps into my own handily customized folders within the Start Menu. I will just delete most of that Metro / Modern UI junk from my system, and will not try to use it again, for at least 2 or 3 next years. Hope these years will be enough for Microsoft to fix that =)
If I put (move/copy) such a newly created custom Metro / Modern UI app .lnk shortcut file somewhere into:
A) \ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\
or
B) \Users\user1\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\
folders (or their subfoldres)
..then I get one strange consequence:
Starting up that Metro / Modern UI app, either from it’s original shortcut, or from newly created one custom .lnk – and it works, but there’s no app icon on taskbar, just empty highlighted square. Sometimes It goes that way from 1st launch of the app, sometimes from the 2nd one. Moving that above mentioned custom .lnk shortcut elsewhere, out of these A / B folders (or just deleting it) – and (again, after 1st or 2nd restart) the app returns to start up normally, with its icon again present on taskbar.
I’ve spent 5 or 6 goddamn hours, trying to figure out, why the hell it happens. Searching on Google for something like “Windows 10 Metro Modern UI app no taskbar icon”, reading all those damn common recomendations, using DISM and SFC, and PS / CMD scripts, etc., etc., etc. No result. Then I’ve started undoing, step by step, all “not default” things that I’ve done with this newly installed system. And here it is. Straight causal relationship.
By the way, temporarily disabling Windows Search service (as an experiment) didn’t change anything, after which I gave up – okay, I will not put custom made .lnk for Metro / Modern UI apps into my own handily customized folders within the Start Menu. I will just delete most of that Metro / Modern UI junk from my system, and will not try to use it again, for at least 2 or 3 next years. Hope these years will be enough for Microsoft to fix that =)
If I put (move/copy) such a newly created custom Metro / Modern UI app .lnk shortcut file somewhere into:
A) \ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\
or
B) \Users\user1\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\
folders (or their subfoldres)
..then I get one strange consequence:
Starting up that Metro / Modern UI app, either from it’s original shortcut, or from newly created one custom .lnk – and it works, but there’s no app icon on taskbar, just empty highlighted square. Sometimes It goes that way from 1st launch of the app, sometimes from the 2nd one. Moving that above mentioned custom .lnk shortcut elsewhere, out of these A / B folders (or just deleting it) – and (again, after 1st or 2nd restart) the app returns to start up normally, with its icon again present on taskbar.
..I’ve spent 5 or 6 goddamn hours, trying to figure out, why the hell it happens. Searching on Google for something like “Windows 10 Metro Modern UI app no taskbar icon”, reading all those damn common recomendations, using DISM and SFC, and PS / CMD scripts, etc., etc., etc. No result. Then I’ve started undoing, step by step, all “not default” things that I’ve done with this newly installed system. And here it is. Straight causal relationship.
By the way, temporarily disabling Windows Search service (as an experiment) didn’t change anything, after which I gave up – okay, I will not put custom made .lnk for Metro / Modern UI apps into my own handily customized folders within the Start Menu. I will just delete most of that Metro / Modern UI junk from my system, and will not try to use it again, for at least 2 or 3 next years. Hope these years will be enough for Microsoft to fix that =)
..OS is Windows 10, version 1709, build 16299.402.
Thank you, this worked like a charm. Really dumb how they arent located somewhere that is more obviously accessable…
Thank you so much. I have been looking for this through many websites but it worked so easily.
wowwwwwwwwwww, so much thanks i went too far like forcing to access windows apps and create a shortcut before but didn’t work, and this solution now works.
Thanks alot this was helpful
Thanks again
Thank You!
Thanks a lot!
It seems like something like creating a shortcut should be more straightforward, and be able to be completed with a mere right click left click. However, you made this mysterious method simple and easy to follow. I appreciate it!
thank u
thank u it helped
Thank you so much for this.. a very big help
I tried this, but unfortunately when i created a shortcut on the desktop,the i can associated with the app turned into the blank file icon. eg, I made a shortcut for Pinterest but the logo in the all icon got replaced by a blank file icon. Any solutions?
Why does Microsoft feel the need to make simple functions from prior versions a secret? Corporate is so weird. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Thank you for this. It worked perfectly (on Windows 11). :)
It is crazy I had to spend so much time to finally find a way to add skype to desktop. Makes no sense. I have no idea why this is so difficult to find. Between Apple, Microsoft and Google, they are driving me silly with all the boneheaded changes.