How to save desktop shortcuts

If you're switching from a Mac to aPC, one of theprimary difference you'll come across is how you add shortcuts toprograms to your desktop. On the Mac, you just dragged a program's icon from the Applications folder to the Desktop, and voila! a shortcut was made!On the PC, there aretwo kinds of programs (Desktop apps and Modern apps) and there's nosingle visible folder that holds all ofyour apps, so things are a little more complicated.

Luckily, we've put together instructions for how to make desktop shortcuts for both Modern apps (a convention that started in Windows 8 and includes Microsoft Edge, Mail and other programs) and Desktop apps (which you download yourself, like Chrome).The way to tellifan app is Modern or Desktop is if "Show File Location" appears as an option when you right-click on it in theStart menu.

MORE: These Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts Will Save You Clicks

Method 1: Desktop Apps Only

1. Select the Windows button to open theStart menu.

2.Select All apps.

3.Right-click on the app you want to create a desktop shortcut for.

4. Select More.

5. Select Open file location. If this option does not appear, this app is a Modern app, so you'll want to use the secondset of instructions.

6.Right-click on the app's icon.

7.Select Create shortcut.

8.Select Yes.

You've got a desktop shortcut for your Desktopprogram!

Method 2: Modern or Desktop Apps

1.Tap on theWindows icon to open the start menu.

2. Type "Command Prompt" into the the Cortana box.

3.Select CommandPrompt from the results.

4.Type "explorer shell:AppsFolder" without the quotation marks and press Enter.

5.Right-click an app.

6.Select Create shortcut.

7.Select Yes.

Your app has a desktop shortcut!

Tolearn how to place website links on your desktop, check out ourguide onhowtocreate website shortcuts on your desktop with Chrome. And if you want to fill your desktop with custom folders, here's how to create a folder in Windows 10.

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