Adding Apps to Your Desktop in Windows 11
Alright, if you’re over hunting through menus for your frequently used apps, creating shortcuts on the desktop can be a real time-saver. It’s a bit odd that this isn’t immediately obvious, but once you’ve got it sorted, launching your favourite programs is as simple as double-clicking an icon. Saves a fair bit of time. Here’s how to do it:
Open the Start Menu
First up, click the Windows icon at the bottom-left corner of the screen. This opens the Start menu, your central hub for all your apps. Alternatively, you can just press the Windows key on your keyboard if you prefer. Who doesn’t feel a bit tech-savvy pressing shortcuts?
Locate Your App
Next, scroll through the list of installed programs or use the search bar at the top. If you’ve got a lot installed, that search will be your best mate. Nobody wants to scroll forever when a quick search does the job.
Access the Context Menu
Found the app you want? Right-click on it. This brings up a menu of options. But if you see only a few choices, don’t worry — click on Show more options to see all the available commands. That’s where the good stuff is hiding.
Get Full Access to the Context Menu
Feeling quick? Press Shift + F10 after right-clicking to jump straight into the full menu without extra clicks. Saves you a step, because Windows loves to make things just a little extra complicated sometimes.
Create Your Desktop Shortcut
Look for the Send to submenu and select Desktop (create shortcut). There you go — your app shortcut is now on the desktop. This icon is your quick launchpad. Just double-click, and you’re in — no need to delve back into menus every time.
Now, some apps from the Microsoft Store can be a bit tricky. You might need to open File Explorer and find the app’s executable manually, like:
C:\Program Files\YourAppFolder\YourApp.exeRight-click that file and choose Create shortcut. It’s an extra step, but at least you know what’s happening now!
Once done, check your desktop for the new shortcut. Want to tidy things up? Right-click the icon and select Rename to give it a more appropriate name. Keeping your desktop organised makes your whole computing experience a lot smoother, believe it or not!
Sometimes, it might take a reboot for new shortcuts to show up properly. Just a heads-up to keep in mind.