How to Create a Desktop Shortcut of Microsoft Store Apps in Windows 11 Microsoft Store apps don't behave like traditional Win32 applications. They don’t come with a direct .exe file you can easily pin or copy to your desktop. But in Windows 11, there are several workarounds to create desktop shortcuts for these apps, and each one has advantages for both personal users and IT administrators. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne’s IT video hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. Shortcuts improve user experience. They make apps accessible in shared, restricted, or enterprise environments, while also supporting consistent desktop layouts in managed images. Let's look at five reliable methods. Method 1: Use the Start Menu The first one is to use the Start Menu. Open the Start menu, search for your app, then drag its title or icon to the desktop. This creates a .lnk shortcut tied to your user profile. Method 2: Access shell:AppsFolder Another is accessing shell:AppsFolder. Press Win + R, type shell:AppsFolder, and hit Enter. This folder lists all installed apps. Right-click your app, select “Create shortcut,” and confirm to place it on your desktop. Method 3: Use URI Commands You can also use URI commands. Right-click the desktop, create a new shortcut, and enter the app’s URI such as ms-settings:, calculator:, or ms-edge:. Name the shortcut and finish setup. Remember that Windows does not provide a built-in list of URI schemes, so you may need to test them manually. Method 4: Use AppID Commands On the other hand, you can run PowerShell and enter: Get-StartApps | Sort-Object Name Copy the AppID of your target app. Then create a shortcut with this path: explorer shell:AppsFolder\AppID Method 5: Include Shortcuts in Custom Images or GPO Finally, you may also include shortcuts in custom images or GPO. Drag the app shortcut into... You can also automate shortcut creation with a PowerShell script for deployment at scale. Key Considerations Keep in mind that Microsoft Store apps are installed per user, so the shortcut only works if the app is present in that profile. For IT administrators, this is especially important in kiosk, VDI or provisioning scenarios. For more information, check out our official blog post on creating desktop shortcuts for Microsoft Store apps in Windows 11, linked in the description below. Be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT Video Hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this.