To make a Minecraft desktop shortcut in Windows 11, open Start, select All, find Minecraft Launcher in the list, and drag it onto the desktop. Windows leaves the app where it is and places a shortcut on the desktop that opens the launcher.
Applies to: Windows 11 with the Minecraft Launcher (Java Edition and Bedrock Edition). Checked against Microsoft Support on October 6, 2026.
Before you start
- Minecraft has to be installed. A shortcut is only a pointer to an app that is already on the PC. Minecraft’s own download page says you can install the Minecraft Launcher through the Microsoft Store or with the Download Launcher button on that page.
- Know which name to look for. The Minecraft Launcher is the hub that opens your Minecraft games on a PC, including Java Edition and Bedrock Edition. One shortcut to the launcher is enough for both.
- Use the installed app only. Don’t download a separate “Minecraft shortcut” or program file from a website you don’t know. Every method below uses the copy of Minecraft that is already installed.
- Leave some desktop visible. Dragging needs an empty spot to drop on, so shrink or move any window that covers the whole screen.
This is the route Microsoft documents for adding an app to the desktop, and it’s the quickest one for Minecraft.
- Select Start on the taskbar, or press the Windows key. The Start menu opens.
- Select All. Start switches from your pinned apps to an alphabetical list of every app installed on the PC.
- Scroll to the M section and find Minecraft Launcher. If you see more than one Minecraft entry, pick the one you normally open to play.
- Click and hold the Minecraft entry, drag it out of the Start menu, and release it over an empty part of the desktop. A new Minecraft icon appears where you let go.
- Double-click the new icon. The Minecraft Launcher should open exactly as it does from Start.
The entry stays in the Start menu after you drag it. You’re making a second way in, so nothing is moved or removed.
Make the shortcut from the apps folder
Windows has a hidden folder that lists every installed application in one window, including apps that came from the Microsoft Store. It’s useful when you’d rather drag from a normal window than from the Start menu.
- Right-click Start and select Run. The Run dialog box opens.
- Type shell:appsfolder and press Enter. A window opens that shows all installed applications.
- Find Minecraft Launcher in that window.
- Drag the Minecraft icon out of the window and drop it on an empty part of the desktop. Windows creates a link on the desktop and leaves the original in the list.
- Close the apps window, then double-click the new desktop icon to check that the launcher opens.
Microsoft describes this same folder and the same drag-and-drop action for adding apps to the startup folder, which is why it also works as a source for a desktop link.
Use Send to if Minecraft appears in File Explorer
Some Minecraft installations place a normal shortcut or program file in a folder you can browse to. If you already have that folder open in File Explorer, you can send a shortcut to the desktop without dragging.
- In File Explorer, right-click the Minecraft Launcher item. The short Windows 11 context menu opens.
- Select Show more options. The longer classic menu opens.
- Point to Send to, then select Desktop (create shortcut). The shortcut appears on the desktop.
Don’t go looking for the launcher inside the protected system folder where Windows stores Microsoft Store apps, and don’t change permissions on that folder to get at it. The two methods above reach the same app without touching protected files.
Why New > Shortcut is not the best choice here
Windows also lets you right-click the desktop, select New > Shortcut, and then type a location or select Browse to pick an item in File Explorer. That works well for files, folders and classic programs. Microsoft’s instructions for this method note that you can’t create shortcuts for Store apps this way, and the Microsoft Store is one of the two official ways to install the Minecraft Launcher. If your copy came from the Store, use the Start menu or the apps folder instead.
Pin Minecraft to the taskbar or Start instead
A desktop icon is hidden whenever a window is open on top of it. If you want Minecraft one click away at all times, pin it. You can do this as well as, or instead of, making a desktop shortcut.
Pin to the taskbar
- Open Minecraft Launcher so that its button shows on the taskbar.
- Right-click that taskbar button.
- Select Pin to taskbar. The button stays on the taskbar after you close the launcher.
You can also right-click the app’s name in Start and choose Show more options > Pin to taskbar. To remove it later, right-click the pinned button and select Unpin from taskbar.
Pin to Start
- Select the Search box on the taskbar or open Start, then type Minecraft.
- Right-click Minecraft Launcher in the results.
- Select Pin to Start. Minecraft is added to the pinned apps at the top of the Start menu.
To take it off again, right-click the pinned item and select Unpin from Start.
Which method should you use?
| Method | Best when | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Start > All > drag | You want the fastest route and can see the desktop next to the Start menu | Desktop shortcut |
| Run > shell:appsfolder > drag | Dragging from Start is awkward, or you want every app in one window | Desktop shortcut |
| Show more options > Send to | The launcher already shows as an item in a File Explorer folder | Desktop shortcut |
| Pin to taskbar | You play often and keep windows open over the desktop | Taskbar button |
| Pin to Start | You like a tidy desktop | Pinned app in Start |
Check, rename, resize or remove the shortcut
- Check it: double-click the icon. If the Minecraft Launcher opens, the shortcut is working.
- Rename it: right-click the icon and choose Rename, then type a name such as Minecraft. This changes only the label under the icon.
- Resize the icons: right-click an empty part of the desktop, select View, and choose Large icons, Medium icons or Small icons. You can also hold Ctrl and scroll the mouse wheel over the desktop. This changes all desktop icons, not just Minecraft.
- Remove it: right-click the icon and select Delete. Deleting a shortcut removes only the shortcut. Minecraft, your worlds and your settings stay installed.
Troubleshooting
Minecraft is not in the All list
The launcher probably isn’t installed for the Windows account you’re signed in to. Open the Microsoft Store, select Library, find Minecraft Launcher and select Install. You can also get it from the official Minecraft download page. Minecraft’s own guidance for a launcher that needs reinstalling is to download it again from the Microsoft Store.
The drag does nothing
Make sure you’re dropping on the desktop itself and not on another window. Restore or move full-screen windows first so that some desktop is visible beside the Start menu. If dragging from Start still won’t work, use the apps folder method, which lets you place the window and the desktop side by side.
The icon was created but the desktop is empty
Desktop icons may be switched off. Right-click an empty part of the desktop, select View, and make sure Show desktop icons is checked. When icons are hidden they still exist, and you can see them in the Desktop folder in File Explorer.
The shortcut stopped opening Minecraft
Work through these in order, testing the shortcut after each one:
- Delete the old shortcut and make a new one from Start > All. A link made before a reinstall can point to something that no longer exists.
- Open Minecraft Launcher from Start. If it won’t open from there either, the problem is the app and not the shortcut.
- Update it. Open the Microsoft Store and select Library > Get updates.
- Repair it. Select Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select the More icon next to Minecraft Launcher, select Advanced options, then select Repair if it is offered. Reset is the stronger option on the same screen, so read the description next to it before you use it. Microsoft notes that not every app shows these options. The steps are on Microsoft’s repair apps and programs in Windows page.
You’re on a work or school PC
Organizations can block the Microsoft Store, game installs and changes to the desktop. If Minecraft can’t be installed or the shortcut disappears after you sign in again, that’s a policy set by your administrator. Ask your IT support team instead of trying to work around it.
Frequently asked questions
Does this work for Bedrock Edition as well as Java Edition?
Yes. On a PC both editions open from the Minecraft Launcher, so a desktop shortcut to the launcher covers both. If Start lists Minecraft entries besides the launcher, you can drag any of them to the desktop in the same way, because the Start menu method works for any app in the All list.
Why didn’t Minecraft add a desktop icon when I installed it?
Installing an app doesn’t always put an icon on the desktop. The app is still added to the Start menu, which is why the methods here start from the All list or the apps folder.
Will deleting the shortcut uninstall Minecraft?
No. Microsoft’s guidance is that deleting a shortcut removes only the shortcut and not the original item. Your game, worlds and resource packs aren’t touched. If you want to know where those worlds live, see our guide to where Minecraft saves worlds on Windows 11.
Can I put the shortcut on the taskbar and the desktop at the same time?
Yes. A desktop shortcut, a taskbar pin and a Start pin are separate links to the same app. You can have all three, and removing one doesn’t affect the others.
Are the steps the same in Windows 10?
Dragging an app from the Start menu to the desktop also works in Windows 10, but the Start menu there shows the app list without an All button, and the right-click menus are laid out differently. Our guide on how to create a desktop shortcut in Windows 10 has the steps for that version.
Where does Microsoft document this?
The Start menu method, the Send to method, icon sizes and the Show desktop icons setting are all covered on Microsoft’s Customize the Desktop Icons in Windows page.
Once the icon is on your desktop, open it once to confirm that the launcher starts. If you play most days, pin it to the taskbar too so it’s reachable when other windows are open.
Related: how to try Minecraft for free.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.