How To Tip: Make shortcuts on the Desktop in Win8 CP

[NewbieTechGodII]

First, this thread is not meant for those considered experts. This is more for those who find themselves to be technically deficient, but who also want to delve into Win8 CP. So if the latter applies to you, please read on. The rest of ya can get outta here!

OK, now that we got the nerds out of here, let's start.

From the Metro Start Screen (you know, the screen that Win8 CP takes you to every time you log-on), right-click anywhere on the background image and a toolbar should appear at the bottom with an 'All Apps' button in the lower left-hand corner. Click on it.

Now you are at the new Metro Apps menu, which (should) show all of your installed apps and programs, as well as some other OS Settings.

(Bonus Tip- Most peeps will either use the scroll wheel on their mouse to move through this screen, and some will use the horizontal scroll bar at the bottom. BUT, you can also scroll simply by dragging your mouse left and right! How? Move your mouse to the left or right side of the screen and keep moving it...That's it!)

Now, find the program you want to create a shortcut for and right-click on it. Again, you'll see a toolbar open on the bottom and the options available for the app/program. Click on the 'Open File Location' button. You'll be kicked out to Windows Explorer to the folder containing the app, and it will be highlighted for you.

Right-click on it and select "Send To->Desktop (Create Shortcut)". You will now have a Desktop shortcut for your app!

Windows will automatically add the text "- shortcut" to the shortcut's name. Simply right-click on it (what the heck is with all of these right-clicks anyhow?), and select "Rename" and then rename it to whatever you want.

Note, when in the Metro All Apps screen, right-clicking (again...sigh), on an app or program will bring up a series of options available for that app or program. This list differs from app to app, so don't get worried if one app says one thing and another says something totally different.

 

[BootSectorVirus]

Anyone know how to put a url shortcut on the metro start screen?

 

[NewbieTechGodII]

1. At the Desktop, create your shortcut as you normally would.
2. Open Windows Explorer.
2a. On the Ribbon interface, select the View tab and place a checkmark in the Hidden Items box.
2b. Navigate to: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu.
3. Move (cut and paste), the shortcut to the folder.
3a. Windows will open a message box telling you that access is denied and that you will have to give Administrator permission to do so. Simply click on the Continue button.
3b. Open the Start screen and see if the new shortcut is there. If it is, you're done! If not, continue on...
4. Close it out and restart Windows.
5. If the new shortcut is still not on the Start screen, then right-click on the Start screen and choose All Apps. You should see the new icon listed on the left side of the screen.
6. Right-click on it and choose Pin to Start. It should now be listed on the Start screen!

Note: I don't know why, but creating shortcuts and getting them to appear on the Start screen and in All Apps, is sometimes more difficult than it should be. I've noticed that new shortcuts or folders don't always appear until after a restart. Sometimes they will appear if I log-out, but not always.

Hope this helps and if it does, please select as best answer (Tom's keeps sending me emails asking if I ever got my questions answered, even though I am not asking questions but offering solutions!)

 

[danny16899]

i suggest you use win7 because it was more stable、security. and persons experience feeling very good. also the more important is stable.

 

[NewbieTechGodII]

i suggest you use win7 because it was more stable、security. and persons experience feeling very good. also the more important is stable.

You're a moron.

 

[niceget]

i suggest you use win7 because it was more stable、security. and persons experience feeling very good. also the more important is stable.

We who are both experts and intermediate level skill-level Windows users are experimenting with W8 CP.

A comment like yours does nothing but show you want to annoy the original poster.

Stop using the Internet to flame and troll, you'll feel much better about yourself at the end of the day--a lesson many people around the world should heed. Once you start a bad habit like this you're doomed for good interaction between other Internet users and knowledge sharing in a friendly way...

 

[nukemaster]

1. At the Desktop, create your shortcut as you normally would.
2. Open Windows Explorer.
2a. On the Ribbon interface, select the View tab and place a checkmark in the Hidden Items box.
2b. Navigate to: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu.
3. Move (cut and paste), the shortcut to the folder.
3a. Windows will open a message box telling you that access is denied and that you will have to give Administrator permission to do so. Simply click on the Continue button.
3b. Open the Start screen and see if the new shortcut is there. If it is, you're done! If not, continue on...
4. Close it out and restart Windows.
5. If the new shortcut is still not on the Start screen, then right-click on the Start screen and choose All Apps. You should see the new icon listed on the left side of the screen.
6. Right-click on it and choose Pin to Start. It should now be listed on the Start screen!

Note: I don't know why, but creating shortcuts and getting them to appear on the Start screen and in All Apps, is sometimes more difficult than it should be. I've noticed that new shortcuts or folders don't always appear until after a restart. Sometimes they will appear if I log-out, but not always.

Hope this helps and if it does, please select as best answer (Tom's keeps sending me emails asking if I ever got my questions answered, even though I am not asking questions but offering solutions!)

This is just what I did to add steam games to the Start screen(C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs and added a "games" folder). I had to just use the search(type from metro) to add them all.

 

[NewbieTechGodII]

I had an issue with my dual-boot system and when I went to redo the whole thing, I decided not to include Win8CP (there just isn't much difference from what I've heard between the RP and CP), so I am not sure if these steps are still needed (but probably are).

 

[lornaw]

First, this thread is not meant for those considered experts. This is more for those who find themselves to be technically deficient, but who also want to delve into Win8 CP. So if the latter applies to you, please read on. The rest of ya can get outta here!

OK, now that we got the nerds out of here, let's start.

From the Metro Start Screen (you know, the screen that Win8 CP takes you to every time you log-on), right-click anywhere on the background image and a toolbar should appear at the bottom with an 'All Apps' button in the lower left-hand corner. Click on it.

Now you are at the new Metro Apps menu, which (should) show all of your installed apps and programs, as well as some other OS Settings.

(Bonus Tip- Most peeps will either use the scroll wheel on their mouse to move through this screen, and some will use the horizontal scroll bar at the bottom. BUT, you can also scroll simply by dragging your mouse left and right! How? Move your mouse to the left or right side of the screen and keep moving it...That's it!)

Now, find the program you want to create a shortcut for and right-click on it. Again, you'll see a toolbar open on the bottom and the options available for the app/program. Click on the 'Open File Location' button. You'll be kicked out to Windows Explorer to the folder containing the app, and it will be highlighted for you.

Right-click on it and select "Send To->Desktop (Create Shortcut)". You will now have a Desktop shortcut for your app!

Windows will automatically add the text "- shortcut" to the shortcut's name. Simply right-click on it (what the heck is with all of these right-clicks anyhow?), and select "Rename" and then rename it to whatever you want.

Note, when in the Metro All Apps screen, right-clicking (again...sigh), on an app or program will bring up a series of options available for that app or program. This list differs from app to app, so don't get worried if one app says one thing and another says something totally different.

 

[auburnjeff]

Thank you! I am not tech deficient, but this one thing has dogged me in Win 8!

 

[bilaud]

Anyone know how to put a url shortcut on the metro start screen?

I just figured out how to add a shortcut to my Windows 8 Desktop. At the Desktop screen (not the Apps Screen), just right click anywhere on the screen and click on New, then click on Create Shortcut, type in the URL address, click Next and name it to whatever you want and click OK and it will appear on the Desktop.

Bill