Every Windows software program you regularly use needs a shortcut on the desktop. Often a shortcut is automatically placed on the desktop when installing new software, but when it is not, it's nice to know how to create the shortcut manually.
This tutorial explains how to create, rename, customize, and group desktop application shortcuts in most versions of the Windows operating system.
Working with Desktop Shortcuts [Icons]
A desktop icon usually represents a shortcut to a program, folder, or frequently-used file. When you double-click a shortcut, the program, folder, or file opens. If you delete a shortcut, you are only deleting the path to the object [e.g. program], not the object itself.
Windows will allow you to move or save an actual file to the desktop, but this is not recommended. The desktop is for shortcuts. Data files should be stored in My Documents.
Most Windows PCs come with some shortcut icons already on the desktop, such as My Computer and Internet Explorer. If you have a CD and/or DVD drive, you will also have a shortcut icon to the program that controls these devices.
How to Create a Shortcut for the Desktop
If you have an installed program without a shortcut on the desktop, you may want to have a shortcut icon on the desktop.
To create a program shortcut, click Start and click All Programs. Locate the desired program. If the desired program is inside a folder on the Start Menu, either click on the folder or hold the cursor over the folder and await a dropdown menu. Once you have found the program, follow the directions for your version of Windows.
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* Windows 10 *
There are two ways to create a program shortcut. After locating the program, right-click over the program name, hover the mouse over "Send to" and click "Desktop [create shortcut]."
Alternatively, in Windows 10, once you locate the program you can drag and drop it onto the desktop and a shortcut icon will appear. However, you must first ensure that an adequate portion of the desktop is visible in order to use this method.
* Windows 7, Windows 8.0 and 8.1 *
Place the cursor on the program name and right-click. Hover the mouse over "Send to" and click "Desktop [create shortcut]." The shortcut icon will be placed on the desktop.
* Windows XP and Older *
Place the cursor on the program name until it is high-lighted. Right-click and select "Create Shortcut." The shortcut will be placed below the original program, or at the end of the program list. The shortcut name will be the same as the program name followed by [2]. For example, a shortcut created for the program Excel will be named Excel [2].
Minimize all windows so the desktop is clear. Click Start | All Programs and return to the location of the new shortcut. Position the cursor on the shortcut and while holding down the left mouse button, drag the shortcut onto the desktop.
Note: You MUST create a shortcut first because when you drag a program name from the All Programs list to the desktop, the program shortcut is moved, not copied, and you never want to remove a program from the All Programs list.
How to Rename a Desktop Shortcut
To rename a desktop shortcut, right-click on the icon, click "Rename," and type in the new name. Or, you can click once on the shortcut to highlight it, click again, and begin typing.
How to Change the Icon of a Desktop Shortcut
You can change the icon of a shortcut if you dislike the default image. Right-click on the shortcut and click Properties. On the Customize tab, click Change Icon. Choose an icon from the list provided, and click OK.
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How to Group Desktop Shortcuts into Folders
If your desktop is cluttered with icons, you can create folders on the desktop in which to store similar shortcuts. ou may want to create a folder named Security in which to place all the security program icon; e.g. anti-virus software.
Another idea is to create a folder called Seldom and drag and drop all icons for programs that you seldom use, but don't want to delete the shortcuts.
To create a folder on the desktop, right-click in an empty space on the desktop, move the cursor over the word New, click Folder, and type a folder name. If desired, customize the folder icon as described above.
To move a shortcut into the folder, click the icon and, while keeping the mouse button pressed, drag it on top of the folder. When the folder highlights, release the mouse button.
We hope you have enjoyed our tutorial on creating and customizing desktop shortcuts in Windows. Cheers!
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