How to make Windows 8 App Shortcuts

How to make Windows 8 App Shortcuts

Windows 8 features the all known app’s from the Windows Store and the built-in app store. But what if you want those apps on your desktop instead of having them in the Metro UI (start), then this post is something you should read. I will show you how-to create a shortcut and give you a list of common applications and their target.

How to create the shortcut

1. Open your desktop, and right-click an empty location
2. Choose New and then choose Shortcut

   

    

3. You will now be asked for the location, for example you want to create a shortcut to the mail app, the target is:
   explorer.exe shell:Appsfolder\microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.WindowsLive.Mail

   

4. Now click Next, name the shortcut, and click next

The shortcut has now been created on your desktop, you can use the table below to create shortcuts to any other application of your liking.

[alert-warning]Make sure you always type explorer.exe shell:Appsfolder\ and then the command! [/alert-warning]

Default Windows Apps shortcuts

Below is a list to create App Shortcuts for the most common Windows 8 applications.

Alarms	Microsoft.WindowsAlarms_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App
Calculator	Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App
Calendar	microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.WindowsLive.Calendar
Camera	Microsoft.MoCamera_cw5n1h2txyewy!Microsoft.Camera
Finance	Microsoft.BingFinance_8wekyb3d8bbwe!AppexFinance
Food & Drink	Microsoft.BingFoodAndDrink_8wekyb3d8bbwe!AppexFoodAndDrink
Galgje	34628NielsCup.Galgje_kz2v1f325crd8!App
Games	Microsoft.XboxLIVEGames_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.XboxLIVEGames
Google Chrome	Chrome.V57R4ILJCL46GC2MKBH6Y2BSXU
Health & Fitness	Microsoft.BingHealthAndFitness_8wekyb3d8bbwe!AppexHealthAndFitness
Help+Tips	Microsoft.HelpAndTips_8wekyb3d8bbwe!HelpAndTips
Internet Explorer	Microsoft.InternetExplorer.Default
Lync	Microsoft.LyncMX_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.LyncMX
Mail	microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.WindowsLive.Mail
Maps	Microsoft.BingMaps_8wekyb3d8bbwe!AppexMaps
Music	Microsoft.ZuneMusic_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.ZuneMusic
Netflix	4DF9E0F8.Netflix_mcm4njqhnhss8!App
News	Microsoft.BingNews_8wekyb3d8bbwe!AppexNews
OneDrive	FileManager_cw5n1h2txyewy!Microsoft.Windows.FileManager
PC settings	windows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy!microsoft.windows.immersivecontrolpanel
People	microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.WindowsLive.People
Photos	FileManager_cw5n1h2txyewy!Microsoft.Windows.PhotoManager
Reader	Microsoft.Reader_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.Reader
Reading List	Microsoft.WindowsReadingList_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.WindowsReadingList
Skype	Microsoft.SkypeApp_kzf8qxf38zg5c!App
Sound Recorder	Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App
Sports	Microsoft.BingSports_8wekyb3d8bbwe!AppexSports
Store	winstore_cw5n1h2txyewy!Windows.Store
Travel	Microsoft.BingTravel_8wekyb3d8bbwe!AppexTravel
Video	Microsoft.ZuneVideo_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.ZuneVideo
Weather	Microsoft.BingWeather_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App

App not listed?

You can find out the command yourself to create the App Shortcuts, but it’s a technical job and the steps below are not for beginning Windows users.

1. Open File Explorer
2. In the addressbar type: shell:AppsFolder
3. Click on View then click on Details
4. Click on View again then click on Choose Details…
5. Check the box AppUserModeID and click on OK
6. A new column will appear, the text under the column heading AppUserModeId is the command you need to enter in the target when creating a shortcut