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The most reliable way to put a Windows 10 Shell location on the desktop is to create a standard shortcut that launches File Explorer with a Shell namespace target. In the Shortcut Wizard, use a target such as C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:Downloads. For a virtual location identified by a CLSID, use C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:::{CLSID}.
A Shell folder is broader than an ordinary directory. It can represent a physical known folder such as Documents or Downloads, or a virtual Windows view such as This PC, Control Panel, Fonts, Network, or Applications. Microsoft lists these known folders, their aliases, default paths, and identifiers in the KNOWNFOLDERID reference.
Create the shortcut from the Windows 10 desktop
- Right-click an empty area of the desktop.
- Choose New > Shortcut.
- In Type the location of the item, enter a complete Explorer target, for example:
C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:Downloads - Select Next.
- Enter a descriptive name such as Downloads, All Applications, or Control Panel.
- Select Finish.
- Double-click the new icon to verify that it opens the intended Shell location.
Microsoft documents this desktop New > Shortcut workflow for creating shortcuts to files, folders, and web pages in its desktop customization guidance. The explicit explorer.exe path is preferable to entering only a Shell command because it makes the program and its argument unambiguous to the Shortcut Wizard.
What the target means
The target has two parts: C:Windowsexplorer.exe starts File Explorer, and shell:Downloads tells Explorer which Shell namespace location to open. Windows may also accept explorer.exe shell:Downloads or just shell:Downloads in some contexts, but the fully qualified form is clearer and more consistent for a desktop shortcut.
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Known folders such as Documents normally resolve to profile locations—for example, Documents is typically %USERPROFILE%Documents—while virtual folders do not have a normal filesystem path. A Shell alias follows Windows’ configured known-folder location, which is useful when a personal folder has been redirected to OneDrive, a network share, or another administrator-selected location.
Useful Shell-folder targets for Windows 10
Paste one of these complete targets into the Shortcut Wizard. Aliases are Windows-specific; test them on the exact Windows 10 build and edition you support because legacy or optional Shell components can vary.
| Destination | Shortcut target | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:Personal |
Known folder |
| Downloads | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:Downloads |
Known folder |
| Desktop | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:Desktop |
Known folder |
| Music | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:My Music |
Known folder |
| Pictures | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:My Pictures |
Known folder |
| Videos | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:My Video |
Known folder |
| Applications | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:AppsFolder |
Virtual folder |
| Control Panel | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:ControlPanelFolder |
Virtual folder |
| This PC | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:MyComputerFolder |
Virtual folder |
| Network | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:NetworkFolder |
Virtual folder |
| Fonts | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:Fonts |
Virtual or system-managed view |
| Favorites | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:Favorites |
Shell location |
These aliases include legacy names, so an entry that works on one Windows 10 installation may be unavailable or behave differently on another. Do not assume that every large internet list of shell: commands is supported on every edition.
Use a CLSID for a virtual Shell folder
Virtual folders such as This PC and Control Panel are namespace objects rather than ordinary directories. A CLSID target addresses the object directly:
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Microsoft shows this Explorer-and-namespace pattern in How to use a shortcut file to open a rooted view. Examples of documented identifiers include:
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| Virtual location | CLSID target |
|---|---|
| This PC / My Computer | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} |
| Network / My Network Places | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:::{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D} |
| Control Panel | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} |
| Applications | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:::{1E87508D-89C2-42F0-8A7E-645A0F50CA58} |
| Control Panel known folder | C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:::{82A74AEB-AEB4-465C-A014-D097EE346D63} |
shell:AppsFolder is an alias, whereas shell:::{1E87508D-89C2-42F0-8A7E-645A0F50CA58} explicitly names a namespace object. Prefer the readable alias when it works; use the CLSID when an alias is unavailable, ambiguous, or needs to be documented precisely. CLSID availability and behavior should still be checked on the Windows 10 build in use.
Create a shortcut to installed applications
AppsFolder is a virtual Applications view, not the physical directory where Microsoft Store packages are installed. It can display installed desktop and Store applications even when no ordinary executable path is exposed.
- Press Win + R.
- Enter
shell:AppsFolderand press Enter. - Find the application.
- Drag it to the desktop while holding the right mouse button, then choose the available shortcut-creation command; alternatively, use the app’s context-menu shortcut option if your build provides one.
- Open the resulting shortcut and confirm that the app launches.
Package-specific launch behavior means this drag-to-desktop technique should be verified on the target Windows 10 build rather than treated as a guarantee for every Store application.
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- Rename the icon with F2 or its context menu.
- Open Properties and select Change Icon to choose a different image.
- Use the shortcut’s comment field for a note about the destination.
- Move the shortcut into a desktop folder or copy it to another permitted location.
- In Target, keep the Explorer executable and Shell argument together. The Start in field is generally unimportant because Explorer receives a namespace argument.
For an ordinary custom directory, use its filesystem path instead—for example, C:UsersYourNameProjects—or right-click the folder and choose Send to > Desktop (create shortcut) when that command is available. Registry editing is not required to create a Shell-folder shortcut.
Automate several shortcuts with PowerShell
The graphical wizard is sufficient for most users. If you need to create many links, Windows’ built-in Windows Script Host COM object can generate them:
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$desktop = [Environment]::GetFolderPath('Desktop')
$shortcutPath = Join-Path $desktop 'Downloads.lnk'
$shell = New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell
$shortcut = $shell.CreateShortcut($shortcutPath)
$shortcut.TargetPath = "$env:WINDIRexplorer.exe"
$shortcut.Arguments = 'shell:Downloads'
$shortcut.WorkingDirectory = "$env:WINDIR"
$shortcut.IconLocation = "$env:WINDIRexplorer.exe,0"
$shortcut.Save()For a This PC link, replace the arguments line with:
$shortcut.Arguments = 'shell:::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}'This is an automation option, not a prerequisite. Run it in the intended user account so the link is written to that user’s desktop.
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“Windows cannot find the file”
Right-click the icon, choose Properties, and set Target exactly to a complete form such as C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:Downloads. Check for a misspelled alias, an argument entered in the wrong field, or stray quotation marks and punctuation. If the alias is unsupported on that build, try the documented CLSID form for the same virtual location.
The shortcut opens the wrong place
Check the alias: shell:Personal means the user’s Documents location, shell:Desktop means that user’s Desktop, and shell:AppsFolder means the virtual Applications view. Replace an ambiguous alias with a specific CLSID where one is documented.
The command works in Run but not in the shortcut
The Run dialog and Shortcut Wizard do not always parse bare Shell commands identically. Use C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:AppsFolder rather than only shell:AppsFolder.
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The icon is missing
Right-click the desktop, choose View, and ensure Show desktop icons is enabled. Also check that the shortcut was created on the correct user’s desktop. OneDrive or folder redirection can change the effective desktop location, and Explorer may need a refresh.
A personal folder has moved
Documents, Desktop, or Downloads may be redirected. Shell aliases normally follow the configured known-folder location, while a hard-coded path may continue pointing at the old location. Microsoft warns that manually changing personal-folder registry values can cause serious problems; use the supported folder-location controls instead of editing the registry merely to make a shortcut.
See Microsoft’s guidance on personal-folder location changes before attempting advanced repairs.
Access is blocked
Group Policy, application-control rules, or security software can restrict Control Panel, administrative tools, removable drives, or other system locations. A valid shortcut cannot bypass those policies.
The shortcut was deleted
Deleting a .lnk normally removes only the shortcut, not the Shell folder or its contents. Recreate the link using the same target.
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Other users cannot see it
A shortcut on one user’s desktop is not automatically placed on another user’s desktop. An administrator can deploy a link to the Public Desktop, whose documented location is %PUBLIC%Desktop, but that is an administrative choice and may require permissions.
Desktop shortcut alternatives
Quick access
For a physical folder, open File Explorer, right-click it, and choose Pin to Quick access. This keeps the item inside File Explorer rather than adding a desktop icon. Microsoft’s File Explorer guidance describes Quick access as a way to keep frequently used folders readily available: File Explorer in Windows.
Start or taskbar access
Pinning an application or frequently used Explorer entry to Start or the taskbar can reduce desktop clutter. These options are separate from a Shell shortcut and may be limited by organizational policy.
A direct path for ordinary folders
If the destination is a normal directory rather than a Shell namespace object, a conventional path shortcut is simpler and does not require an alias or CLSID.
Choosing the right method
- Use a Shell alias for a stable, readable destination such as Downloads or Documents.
- Use a CLSID for a virtual folder, or when an alias is unavailable or resolves unexpectedly.
- Use a filesystem path for a custom ordinary directory.
- Use Quick access when you want fast File Explorer access without another desktop icon.
The general Windows 10 pattern is C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:<alias>. For a virtual namespace object, use C:Windowsexplorer.exe shell:::{CLSID}, then test the shortcut on the specific Windows 10 installation and user account that will use it.
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