Adding shortcuts to All Apps.

davesurrey · Jan 16, 2024

I have several apps that when installed have left a shortcut on the desktop, but they don’t show up on Start>All Apps.

I don’t want them just pinned to the Start Menu.

Anyone any idea how to add them to All Apps?

Thanks

Running Windows 11 Pro 23H2

Berton · Jan 16, 2024

All the Windows-based programs I've installed show up in the All apps list and right-click of them shows Pin to Start and in the Show more options has more choices such as Pin to taskbar. Same for icons/shortcuts on the Desktop that are put there during the install. Example is LibreOffice.

davesurrey · Jan 16, 2024

Yes most of mine do the same as you say. But...not ALL have done that.
Yes I can pin them to the Start but as I mentioned above I want to pin them to the All Apps list. That's my query...how do I fix them there eg Topaz Photo Ai.

trumpy81 · Jan 16, 2024

Go to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs and copy your shortcuts there.

Then they will appear under All apps.

davesurrey · Jan 16, 2024

No, that still isn't working.

trumpy81 · Jan 16, 2024

It should:

Notice the shortcut at the bottom of the image above.

See the shortcut in All apps?

davesurrey · Jan 16, 2024

Okay I think it needs s shortcut there not the exe file. So I'm now wondering how I make a shortcut from the exe files?
Can you help?

trumpy81 · Jan 16, 2024

Right click on the program .exe file and select Create shortcut.

You can rename the shortcut and change it's icon if you wish to.

Then copy that shortcut to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

davesurrey · Jan 16, 2024

Yes that's what I hoped would be possible but there was no Create Shortcut when I right click on the exe.
So I tried Send to desktop to create a shortcut there and move it to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs but still it doesn't turn up in All Apps.

trumpy81 · Jan 16, 2024

Position the mouse pointer over the .exe file, make sure it is actually on the file name and right click:

You may need to click on Show more then notice Create shortcut in the context menu?

This will create the shortcut file in the same folder as the .exe file or if Windows complains, create the shortcut on the desktop.

Then go to C:\Users\YOUR USER NAME\Desktop and copy the shortcut file from there to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

If you moved the location of the Desktop folder, then go to that location instead.

davesurrey · Jan 16, 2024

That's' basically what I have done. As I mentioned there is no Create Shortcut so all I can do is to Send to Desktop and then move that shortcut to where you say. But it doesn't work.
Thank you for your help but I think I need to do a few tests (including check on another win 11 box in case it's the app) to see why some apps work and others don't.
I'll come back if I find anything more.
Sadly I've had more issues with Win11 than any other OS since Win 3.11.

Cheers

OAT · Jan 16, 2024

davesurrey said:
Yes that's what I hoped would be possible but there was no Create Shortcut when I right click on the exe.
So I tried Send to desktop to create a shortcut there and move it to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs but still it doesn't turn up in All Apps.

Hi,
You can create any shortcut or pin to start from running this:

C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:AppsFolder

trumpy81 · Jan 16, 2024

@OAT
He wants to create the shortcuts in Start > All apps, not in Start.

davesurrey · Jan 16, 2024

@OAT
That's interesting as the apps that won't show up in Start>All Apps don't show when I do shell:AppsFolder
May be there is something strange with these apps although they work perfectly when run.

glasskuter · Jan 16, 2024

davesurrey said:
there was no Create Shortcut when I right click on the exe.

right click, select send to>desktop. This creates a shortcut. You can then copy/move shortcut from desktop to the folder.

trumpy81 · Jan 16, 2024

When you run the app, can you right click on the apps icon on the taskbar and select Pin to taskbar?

If you can, then you can move the shortcut from the taskbar to All apps.

Go to C:\Users\YOUR USER NAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar to find the taskbar shortcut and then copy/move the shortcut to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Remember, the app shortcut will be listed alphabetically in All apps.

davesurrey · Jan 16, 2024

@glasskuter
If you read what I have written you'll see I have tried that and it failed.

Edwin · Jan 16, 2024

@davesurrey
Are you signed on as Admin? If not, the shortcut may have to go in your User Start Menu folder.

davesurrey · Jan 16, 2024

@trumpy81
Yes I can pin them to the taskbar.
But following the rest of your suggestion it still didn't show up in Start>All Apps.
I'm going to give up for the night and have a look on another Win 11 pc tomorrow. Thanks for your help

trumpy81 · Jan 16, 2024

@davesurrey
I wonder if for some reason you have to reboot before they show up?

You should not have to, but stranger things have happened.

Adding shortcuts to All Apps.

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