Alex Ruben
How To Create a Desktop Shortcut in Windows 10 in 2025
Creating desktop shortcuts in Windows 10 is honestly one of those things that seem straightforward but can trip you up if you don’t know exactly where to look. Like, why does Windows hide some options behind layers? Anyway, if you’re tired of digging through menus every time you need quick access to a folder or app, this guide tries to make it less painful. Same goes for system icons and tricky shortcuts — I’ve messed around with these enough times to know you shouldn’t have to fuss too much.
Step 1: Enable Desktop Icons (if system icons are missing)
First, you might notice that the desktop icons like This PC or Recycle Bin just vanish randomly, especially after updates or weird startup crashes. To get those back:
- Right-click on any empty space on your desktop.
- Select Personalize from the menu.
- In the window that opens, click on Themes on the left sidebar.
- Scroll down and find a link for Desktop icon settings — it’s that little menu you don’t usually bump into unless you’re looking.
- Click on it, then check the boxes for icons you want to appear — like This PC, Recycle Bin, etc.
- Hit Apply, then OK. Now your icons *should* show up.
Honestly, on some setups, you need to do this twice before Windows nicely refreshes everything — because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
Step 2: Create Shortcuts for Drives (C:, D:, etc.)
If you want quick access to a drive but don’t want it cluttering your taskbar, a shortcut from File Explorer does the trick:
- Open File Explorer and navigate to This PC.
- Find the drive, say, C: or D:.
- Right-click on it. Instead of just copy or properties, look for Create Shortcut. In some setups, this might be grayed out or missing, which is annoying. If that happens, do this:
- Drag the drive icon while holding Alt and drop it on the desktop — it’ll create a shortcut that way.
- Or, if you want a cleaner approach: Copy the drive path, then right-click on the desktop, pick New > Shortcut, and paste the drive path like `C:\` or `D:\`.
Expect a shortcut with a drive icon that you can move around. The main reason this helps — quick access, especially if you’re jumping between multiple drives or network shares.
On some machines, the Create Shortcut option for drives isn’t available directly, so dragging with Alt is the workaround I’ve found most reliable.
Step 3: Create Shortcuts for Folders
Same logic as drives, but even easier:
- Navigate to the folder in File Explorer.
- Right-click > Create Shortcut. It’ll put a shortcut right there, often with a “- Shortcut” extension. You can rename it in a second.
- If you want it on the desktop, drag that new shortcut from its current location to the desktop or right-click > Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).
This is perfect for folders you access all the time — no need to navigate deep every time.
Step 4: Create Shortcuts for Apps
Really simple — just drag and drop from the Start menu:
- Open the Start menu (Windows icon).
- Find your app, whether it’s Teams, Chrome, whatever.
- Click and hold, then drag the icon directly onto your desktop — release.
This creates a handy icon that’s like a launcher. On some versions, dragging might not work perfectly. If that’s the case, right-click the app > More > Open file location. Then, right-click the app’s shortcut in that folder and choose Create shortcut. Move that shortcut to desktop.
Step 5: Rename Shortcuts (if you want cleaner labels)
This is straightforward but worth mentioning:
- Right-click the shortcut you want to rename.
- Select Rename.
- Type a snappier name — maybe shorten it or clarify — then hit Enter.
Pro tip: do this after creating, otherwise the default name can be a bit of a mess.
Step 6: Create Shortcuts for Tools (like On-Screen Keyboard)
Lots of system tools are tucked away, but you can create shortcuts for them:
- Open the Start menu.
- Navigate to Windows Accessories or search for the tool directly (like On-Screen Keyboard).
- Grab the shortcut, drag it to the desktop or right-click > Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).
This is useful when you often need quick access without digging through menus.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
If shortcuts aren’t working or icons go missing, check permissions or desktop refreshes:
- Make sure your user account has permissions if on a work machine.
- If the desktop looks weird or icons stop updating, right-click on the empty space and choose Refresh. Sometimes, Windows just needs a kick to update.
- For persistent glitches, rebooting might help, but honestly, refreshing is usually enough.
Summary
- Enable desktop icons via Personalization if missing.
- Create shortcuts by right-clicking drives/screens or dragging apps.
- Rename shortcuts for clarity.
- Use shortcuts for system tools too.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Windows being weird about icons and shortcuts is kind of frustrating, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a speed boost. Good luck!