How To Create Windows App Shortcut

For quick and easy access, follow these simple steps to create a desktop shortcut for any Microsoft Store app in Windows 10.

Though you can access any Windows 10 store app by searching for it in the Start menu, you can also make the app opening process a bit easier by creating a desktop shortcut. This is particularly helpful if you like to organize your desktop with frequently used programs.

Let me show the steps to create a desktop shortcut for any Windows 10 store app.

Steps to Create Desktop Shortcut for Store Apps

These are the steps you should follow to create a Windows Store app desktop shortcut.

Press "Windows Key + R".
Type "shell:AppsFolder" and click "Ok".
In the folder, find the app you want to create the shortcut for.
Right-click on the app icon.
Select the "Create shortcut" option.
In the warning prompt, click "Yes".

That is it. As soon as you click Yes, Windows will create a desktop shortcut for that store app. You can use this shortcut like any other Windows shortcut.

Done!

Related: how to uninstall built-in store apps in Windows 10

Alternative – Create Shortcut from Start Menu

To create a store app desktop shortcut, the target app should first be pinned to the start menu. If you don't have the app pinned to the start menu, search for the app in the start menu, right-click on it and select the option "Pin to start"

Once it is pinned, simply drag and drop it on the desktop. This will create the shortcut you needed.

That is it. It is that simple to create a shortcut for any store app in Windows 10.

Assign Keyboard shortcut

After creating the shortcut of your favorite store app, you can assign a keyboard shortcut of that shortcut.

To assign a keyboard shortcut, right-click on the shortcut and select "Properties"

Store app shortcut select properties

In the Properties window, select the "Shortcut Key" field and press the keyboard shortcut you would like assign. In my case, I'm assigning the Shift + Alt + O to launch OneNote.

Click on the "Apply" and"Ok" button to save changes.

Store app shortcut assign keyboard shortcut

Why Create a Desktop Shortcut for Store Apps?

The best thing about the Microsoft store is that it makes installing and uninstalling apps easy and clutter-free. Additionally, all the store apps are automatically updated in the background so that you no longer have to deal with the individual update or upgrade prompts. Windows will take care of all that stuff in the background.

One of the benefits of creating the Store apps shortcut is that you can add them to the startup folder. Once added, the app will start with Windows. For example, if you want the Groove music app to start with Windows, you can create a desktop shortcut for that app and then add it to the startup folder. As shown above, you can even assign keyboard shortcuts to launch the store apps.

I hope that helps. If you are stuck or need some help, comment below and I will try to help as much as possible. If you are facing any problems with Microsoft store, then try to reinstall the store app. Reinstalling will fix most issues.