Create Shortcut of Microsoft Edge in Windows 10  

To recap, my problem was that my Edge shortcuts in Start Menu and Taskbar got deleted, and the methods specified by Brink didn't work for me to recreate an Edge shortcut. I finally resolved my problem by (1) in an account where Edge was working, going to Applications (shell:AppsFolder), right-clicking on Microsoft Edge, and thus creating a shortcut on that accounts Desktop; (2) back in the problem account, copying the shortcut from the other user's account to the Desktop of the problem users account.

Somewhat strange behavior followed. First, the shortcut had a default icon, like a document page, but after 30 seconds or so, the Edge icon appeared by itself - I didn't have to use Properties to change the icon. The shortcut worked right away, bringing up Edge when double-clicked. Second strangeness - I suspected some automatic behavior was going on when the icon magically corrected itself, so I went back to Applications (shell:AppsFolder) and Microsoft Edge has magically reappeared. So somehow, a side effect of copying a good shortcut from another user to this user caused these side effects! Finally, the shortcut that I earlier created using Brink's Option 2 now works. I conclude that the reason it didn't work was that Microsoft Edge was not in the Applications folder, so now that it is there, the shortcut works.

Comparing the 2 shortcuts, both of which now work, there are notable differences:
- the Target type for the shortcut generated by Option 2 is Application, while for the shortcut copied from the other user, it is Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microso (right end truncated by edge of field).
- the Target location for the shortcut generated by Option 2 is Applications, while for the shortcut copied from the other user, it is %ewindir%
- the Target for the shortcut generated by Option 2 is "%windir%\explorer.exe shell:Appsfolder\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge" and can be modified, while for the shortcut copied from the other user, it is "Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Micros" (right end truncated by edge of field) and is greyed out, i.e. not editable.

If anyone can point me to a resource that would explain all this strange behavior, I would be very appreciative. In any case, I have found a workaround to fix my problem!

My thanks to Brink for posting solutions in this thread, and for responding to my requests for help. While he didn't find the solution for me, he helped me to get there.

Tried by this frequent user of these Forums were Option Nos. 2 and 3, which worked gloriously (Thank You, Shawn and Brink), then ultimately added a bit of a twist just because it's "There."

Instead of creating a new folder on the Desktop (Options 2 and 3, Step 1 of each), this user navigated to the file folder where he wished the shortcut to be found and THEN started following directions. This is a problem which has vexed many over many decades - especially the teachers of this one-time youth's first-and-second decades of schooling.

Navigate to where you wish to ultimately have that shortcut, then follow the instructions beginning with Step 2 under both Option Nos. 2 and 3.

NOTE: Should you need to first create a new folder, navigate and place your cursor within the file folder wherein you wish to create that new sub-folder, Right Click, find-and-Left-Click "New" and "Folder" then name that new folder as desired. Once finished with creating that folder, Open it and proceed with Step 1 under Option Nos. 2 and 3.

(UNIMPORTANT INFORMATION, but still a decent little rant: Known as "Program Shortcuts" on this user's Desktop, it's one of a few folders - like "Uncompleted Documents," "Notes" and etc. - which are used as a method of helping keep sane a computer user who goes nuts when he tries to make heads-and-tails of the jumble. . . er. . . . no . . . make that "jungle" that a desktop can become - whether made of wood or binary code.)

Starting work in a specific file folder instead of the Desktop isn't really itself a shortcut, it just kinda swaps the last step (No. 9) in Option Nos. 2 and 3 and places it first in the process. Besides it also allows a little more intimacy with your computer's tree so you can see how things come together.

When finished with the above, the "Microsoft Edge" icon was in my desktop's "Program Files" folder and was then copied and pasted into my 'puter's Startup file so that commonly used websites are awaiting when this user is ready, which is nearly every time following the pressing of the computer's start button.

Thus, my second variation makes use of your web browser's ability to open one-or-more websites whenever a browser is loaded. Should you wish to open only one website, just follow directions as they exist under Option No. 3..

Otherwise, go to your preferred browser's "Settings" or "Options" and find something like "Open specific pages" or "websites" (the words vary from one browser to another) and follow directions. Microsoft Edge will require a little preparation work as it'll demand your inputting the website addresses. While a user can do the same in Google Chrome, that browser will also allow the user to click on an option to use the current tabs' addresses. Mozilla's Firefox does much the same as does Google Chrome.

This user opens nine websites using two browsers most every day and inasmuch as some sites work best with alternative web browsers, multiple websites are engaged using two different browsers, splitting the nine (6 and 3) between Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, respectively.

NOTE: Please be sure to have already established website pages assigned within your browser before undertaking the Steps in Option No. 2 and altogether forget doing Option No. 3 - unless you, like me, want to do it because it's "there!"

(STILL MORE Unimportant Information: Of personal opinion, this user believes MSoft Edge works faster - from load through close. Thus, time-imperative websites, where milliseconds truly do mean "money," are mounted in MSoft Edge.)


Have fun and good luck!

Later - DC

I like to experiment.

I too wanted to make a shortcut to MSEDGE but couldn't find where it was located.

So I tried just about every way I could in this thread when bingo, it hit me like a rock in a tornado, make a shortcut based on this:

Make a desktop shortcut based on one of the solutions submitted by Brink in the beginning of this thread....specifically OPTION THREE.

Now, once you have this shortcut created on your desktop, name it MS EDGE, you can then call it using the location on your hard drive:

C:\Users\USERNAME\Desktop\MS EDGE.lnk

It will open MSEDGE to any URL you enter in the TARGET of the Shortcut (at the end of the statement

( ex: %windir%\explorer.exe microsoft-edge:https://www.tenforums.com ).

Now, if you don't want it to go to a specific URL, just use https:// without anything else as the last part of the TARGET statement, & it will just open the browser waiting for your next URL entry, or whatever.


( ex: %windir%\explorer.exe microsoft-edge:https:// )


Easy Peasy ...... Cheers

There is another way (apologies if I missed it).

Go to run>Shell:AppsFolder and search for "Edge". Then you can drag it to the desktop and it will make a shortcut automatically with the name "Microsoft Edge - Shortcut"



This is the properties of the shortcut created - it opens Edge fine at this time.



This works for other things in shell:AppsFolder too.