No option to create shortcuts when right clicking on desktop

The title pretty much sums up the problem.

When I right click on my desktop and select 'New' the only option is to create a new folder and there is no longer an option to create a shortcut. Also if I create the shortcut elsewhere and move it to the Desktop the shortcut breaks and no longer points to anything.

I haven't used this laptop for a while but have dug it out after a hardware fault with my main laptop. I used to have no problem in creating desktop shortcuts and this issue is a new one on me.

The laptop has been fully updated with all Microsoft windows updates since I last used it and the only other change was having to uninstall the old McAfee virus protection software so that I could install the new McAfee software.

Any ideas as to why this is happening?

Wow, now that's what I call a quick response.

Thanks for that, I'll have a look through it now

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Yeah, that did the trick.

Great job!

Sorry spoke to soon (Totally my fault).

I do now have Shortcuts showing on the 'New' context menu, it has replaced New Folder option. Clicking on it does also now allow me access to the Shortcut wizard but the resulting shortcut it creates still does not work and appears to point at nothing. If you check the picture on the left you can see the properties of the shortcut created on the Desktop and on the right that of a typical shortcut created elsewhere.

I've also noticed that I can not save anything to desktop as it says I don't have permission, yet I am the Administrator

Hi @Brink it's not all shortcuts, it's only new shortcuts on Desktop. All preexisting shortcuts on Desktop work fine and I can create new shortcuts in any other location.

I've tried your suggestion for 'Restore Default Location of Personal Folders in Windows 10' but no joy.

As I also cannot save any file to desktop as it says I don't have permission, yet I am the Administrator.

So I'm wandering if this may be some issue with UAC? I've been googling this and seen some suggestions that this could be due a setting in Controlled Folder Access, either in Windows Security or Windows Defender, but Window defender is turned off on my laptop and I am unable to see Windows Security in Settings > Update Security, which is where Microsoft suggest it should be

No joy with Powershell, get the error "Set-MpPreference : A parameter cannot be found that matches parameter name 'EnableControlledFolderAccess'."

Also tried Option 4: Disable Controlled Folder Access using a REG file with no luck either

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Fixed it!

Checked Desktop Properties > Security in Explorer and noticed my username showed as having no permissions set to Allow despite being the Administrator.

This is an old laptop that I haven't used in a year or two until yesterday. I'd linked it to my Microsoft account while updating it and assume that this has some how caused a few issues.

Thanks for all the help, it was really appreciated