through an installation setup).I think historically it wasn’t possible for installers to install shortcuts into taskbar. The user preferences in Windows OS should be primarily set on user’s choice rather than configuring them automatically (i.e. The MSIX package must be uninstalled and then re-installed.Īs per Microsoft guidelines, we advise you not to abuse this workaround and use it only when absolutely necessary. If the Desktop shortcut gets deleted accidentally, then a repair of the MSIX package will not copy it back.MSIX uninstall does not cater for the Desktop shortcut removal so that needs to be dealt with separately.You may need to send comms to the end-user and detail the end-user experience. The application must be launched first in order for the script to get executed and the Desktop shortcut to get copied.lnk desktop and not a modern application entry. The shortcut installed using this workaround is a traditional.The script will run on your first application launch only, after the MSIX package installation.ĭue to not being natively supported in MSIX, using this workaround to create a desktop shortcut comes with the following downsides: It allows you to include a PowerShell script that will copy the shortcut file from MSIX install folder to user’s desktop location into your MSIX package. Lastly, you can take advantage of our Start PowerShell script support in Advanced Installer. This could be done way easier if you take advantage of Advanced Installer's Start PowerShell script support. You can then apply a PowerShell script to copy the shortcut file from MSIX's install folder to the user's Desktop location in your MSIX package. The shortcut will be deployed just beside your application files. Then, include this shortcut file in your MSIX package. Once you create and deploy the application alias, you have to manually create a shortcut to your application alias on your build machine. How to create desktop shortcuts using MSIX Packaging Tool and PSF?Īside from the steps we shared above, you also have the option of using a workaround solution shared by Microsoft: “Create an application shortcut by running a script using Package Support Framework”.It consists of creating and deploying an application alias with your MSIX package.

Advanced installer desktop shortcut