New-DesktopUriShortcut

Overview

Creates a standard shell shortcut (.lnk) in the Public Desktop folder pointing to a local file, directory, or web URI, making the shortcut visible to every user on the machine.

The script uses the WScript.Shell COM object to build the shortcut. For web targets it automatically downloads the site favicon and applies it as the shortcut icon unless a custom icon is supplied. The Arguments parameter writes command-line arguments into the shortcut, which enables scenarios such as launching packaged (Appx/MSIX) applications through explorer.exe with a shell:AppsFolder application URI (AUMID).

Designed for RMM and automation platforms, it requires only a single execution per change and leaves correctly configured shortcuts untouched when managed by a compliance task.

Requirements

Requirement	Details
Operating System	Windows 10 or Windows 11
PowerShell	Version 5.1 or later
Execution Context	Administrator / SYSTEM (writing to the Public Desktop requires elevated rights)
Internet Access	Only needed to download the favicon for web targets when no custom icon is supplied

Note: All dependencies, including the Strapper logging module, are automatically bootstrapped on the first run.

How It Works

1. Shortcut creation: Uses WScript.Shell to create a .lnk file in the $env:PUBLIC\Desktop folder.
2. Favicon handling: If TargetUri is a website and no IconLocation is provided, the script downloads https://<host>/favicon.ico into $env:PUBLIC\Pictures and applies it as the icon. A failed download does not block creation; the shortcut is saved with the default icon.
3. Naming: If ShortcutName is not provided, the file name (local targets) or the DnsSafeHost (web targets) is used as the shortcut name.
4. Launch arguments: If Arguments is provided, the value is written to the shortcut's Arguments property and is passed to the target every time the shortcut is launched.

Before You Deploy

• Elevated context required: The script writes to the Public Desktop and Public Pictures folders. Run it as SYSTEM or Administrator from your RMM.
• Custom icons must exist: When IconLocation is provided, the path must point to an existing .ico file at creation time.
• Packaged applications: Modern Appx/MSIX applications cannot be launched reliably by pointing a shortcut directly at their executable. Use -TargetUri 'C:\Windows\explorer.exe' together with -Arguments 'shell:AppsFolder\<AUMID>'. The AUMID is stable across application updates, so the shortcut keeps working after the app updates.
• Arguments are stored verbatim: The Arguments value is written into the .lnk exactly as provided, so format embedded spaces and quotes the same way you would for any Windows shortcut.
• Per-user launch behavior: A shortcut that launches a packaged application through explorer.exe starts the app in the context of the signed-in user who clicks it, which makes it suitable for Public Desktop deployment.

Usage Examples

Local file shortcut with a custom name:

.\New-DesktopUriShortcut.ps1 -TargetUri 'C:\Users\Test.docx' -ShortcutName 'Test Document'

Web link with automatic favicon:

.\New-DesktopUriShortcut.ps1 -TargetUri 'https://www.google.com' -ShortcutName 'Google'

Directory shortcut using the folder name:

.\New-DesktopUriShortcut.ps1 -TargetUri 'C:\Users'

Web link with a custom icon:

.\New-DesktopUriShortcut.ps1 -TargetUri 'https://mail.office365.com' -ShortcutName 'OWA' -IconLocation 'C:\ProgramData\ImmyBot\DesktopShortcuts\icons\owa.ico'

Packaged application launched through explorer.exe:

.\New-DesktopUriShortcut.ps1 -TargetUri 'C:\Windows\explorer.exe' -Arguments 'shell:AppsFolder\MicrosoftCorporationII.Windows365_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App' -ShortcutName 'Windows App' -IconLocation 'C:\ProgramData\ImmyBot\DesktopShortcuts\icons\windowsApp.ico'

Creates a shortcut named 'Windows App' that launches the packaged Windows 365 application by passing its Applications Folder URI (AUMID) as an argument to explorer.exe.

Resolving the AUMID for a packaged application

The value after shell:AppsFolder\ is the application AUMID in the format <PackageFamilyName>!<ApplicationId>. Resolve it dynamically from the installed package:

$appxPackage = Get-AppxPackage -Name 'MicrosoftCorporationII.Windows365' |
    Sort-Object -Property 'Version' -Descending |
    Select-Object -First 1

$applicationId = (Get-AppxPackageManifest -Package $appxPackage).Package.Applications.Application.Id |
    Select-Object -First 1

$aumid = 'shell:AppsFolder\{0}!{1}' -f $appxPackage.PackageFamilyName, $applicationId

For machines where the package is only provisioned and no user has signed in yet, read the manifest from the provisioned package and build the family name as <DisplayName>_<PublisherId>:

$appxProvisioned = Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online |
    Where-Object -FilterScript { $_.DisplayName -eq 'MicrosoftCorporationII.Windows365' } |
    Select-Object -First 1

$manifestPath = Join-Path -Path $appxProvisioned.InstallLocation -ChildPath 'AppxManifest.xml'
$manifest = [xml](Get-Content -Path $manifestPath)
$applicationId = $manifest.Package.Applications.Application.Id | Select-Object -First 1

$aumid = 'shell:AppsFolder\{0}_{1}!{2}' -f $appxProvisioned.DisplayName, $appxProvisioned.PublisherId, $applicationId

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Default	Description
TargetUri	True	String		The target path of the shortcut. This can be a local or web URI. Must begin with a drive letter and colon (for example C:\), https://, or http://.
ShortcutName	False	String		The optional name of the shortcut. If not provided, the file name or DnsSafeHost property will be used as the shortcut name.
IconLocation	False	String		Optionally set an .ico file as the shortcut icon. Overrides the automatic favicon download for web targets.
Arguments	False	String		Optional command-line arguments passed to the shortcut target when it is launched. Combined with an executable TargetUri such as explorer.exe, this allows launching packaged applications with a shell:AppsFolder AUMID.

Logs and Artifacts

Artifact	Location
Shortcut	$env:PUBLIC\Desktop\<ShortcutName>.lnk
Favicon (web targets)	$env:PUBLIC\Pictures\<DnsSafeHost>.ico
Log	C:\ProgramData\_Automation\Script\New-DesktopUriShortcut\New-DesktopUriShortcut-log.txt
Error log	C:\ProgramData\_Automation\Script\New-DesktopUriShortcut\New-DesktopUriShortcut-error.txt

Changelog

2026-08-20

• Added the Arguments parameter to pass command-line arguments to the shortcut target when it is launched.
• Added support for launching packaged (Appx/MSIX) applications by combining an explorer.exe target with a shell:AppsFolder AUMID argument.
• Added guidance and examples for resolving the AUMID from installed and provisioned packages.
• Expanded the document with an overview, requirements, deployment notes, and artifact locations.

2026-08-20

• Fixed the logic for local file shortcut creation
• Formatted script

2025-04-10

• Initial version of the document