Why Does Windows Create Desktop Shortcuts for New Apps?
When you install a new application from the Microsoft Store, Windows 10 has a tendency to automatically drop a shortcut icon directly onto your desktop. Over time, as you install various tools, games, and utilities, your desktop can quickly devolve into a cluttered mess of icons.
If you prefer a clean, minimalist desktop and prefer to launch your applications exclusively through the Start menu or taskbar search, you can stop the Microsoft Store from automatically littering your desktop with new shortcuts.
How to Stop the Microsoft Store from Creating Desktop Icons
This behavior is controlled directly within the Microsoft Store app’s internal settings, not the main Windows Settings panel.
- Click the Start button and open the Microsoft Store app.
- In the top-right corner of the Store window, click on your Profile picture (or the three-dot menu icon in older versions).
- Select App settings from the dropdown menu.
- Look for the toggle switch labelled Add icon to desktop (or “Automatically add shortcuts to my desktop for new apps”).
- Toggle the switch to the Off position.
Note: This setting only applies to modern UWP apps downloaded directly from the Microsoft Store.
For Traditional (Win32) Desktop Programs (.exe files)
If you are installing a traditional program downloaded from a website (like Google Chrome or VLC Player), Windows 10 does not control the shortcut creation. The installer program itself creates the shortcut. To stop this, you must carefully read the installation wizard prompts during setup and manually uncheck the box that says “Create a desktop shortcut” before clicking Next.