Windows 10: How to drag and drop programs to desktop

I'm liking 10 the more I use it. However there are a few problems Microsoft has to deal with. In 7 it was easy to copy a program to the desktop. In 10 I've tried for a few hours and I can't seem to copy a program to desktop. In fact when I find a program I want to save to desktop, I can't do it. Is there a pro that knows the method?

:)

 

Drag and drop from File Explorer to other programs

Hey Pierre,

What programs are you trying to drag & drop files into? With that knowlegde I may be able to help you.

Regards,

Timo Slijkerman

 

Drag and drop from File Explorer to other programs

Mainly it concerns Gemvision's Matrix and Rhinoceros (3d modeling programs)

 

Can you explain the graphics to me? You don't show the program brought up and how to get it to the desktop? Let's say I find a program on Google I want to save to desktop, how do I do it? Windows 7 was so easy, RC and save to desktop. I followed your suggestion, you are dragging one from the settings, not an app on the desktop. I need to be able to bring an app up with Google and then get it to the desktop. Can't do it in 10?

 

If want to add a program already installed to the desktop, open the Start menu, click All Apps, place r mouse cursor over the name of the program, click down on the left mouse button and hold it, move the mouse onto the wallpaper, then let go.

If want to download a file to the desktop, the instructions depend on r browser, but for each browser, set them to ask where to save downloaded files instead of automatically saving to a folder.

Google Chrome - Prompt Where to Save Downloaded Files - Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox - Startup, home page, tabs, and download settings | Firefox Help

If want to add a program or file to the desktop that is not in the Start menu, right click it (e.g. myfile.txt or firefox.exe) and click Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).

 

I'm using Edge. Isn't there a very simple way to get a program saved to the desktop? The program I'm trying to save isn't already saved, it's a new program brought up with Google. It isn't saying to a folder, it's quite simple, save to desktop.

 

I don't use Edge, but I have read that it gives no option about where to save downloads - they are always saved into your Downloads folder. So it would be a two step process. (1) download it (2) drag and drop from Downloads to Desktop.

By the way, it's a good habit to always use the right mouse button for drag and drop. Then you can choose between move or copy or create shortcut.

 

I can RC and up comes copy link. I can DND to the desktop. When I open it up comes a blank screen, that's it. I've tried several times. OK, I copied the file to the download file. When I bring it out to desktop and open it, up comes a blank screen? I can't get it to open. I really hate going back to 7 but Microsoft has to give the ease we had with it to 10.

 

Trying to guess from your descriptions what actually happened, I see a few possibilities...

Firstly: "I can RC and up comes copy link" suggests maybe you don't have a program saved from a website into your Downloads folder. Instead you only have a link. That can happen with some websites. There are two types of icon that say "Download"...

- Type A is the program file itself, either an .exe or a .zip. You can either left click it and your browser knows to download that file type, or you can right click and pick "save" or maybe "save target as" and that will also work.

- Type B is not the actual program. It is either a scripted downloader or a link to another page with the actual downloads. If you left click it works fine, downloading the file you want. But if you right click and pick "save", it saves the interim target (the downloading gadget or page) not the final target you were wanting. So you end up with something useless in your Downloads folder.

Therefore I suggest you go back to that web page and do it all with left clicks to download the program. The thing that arrives in your Downloads should be either an exe file (usually an installer or less commonly the actual program) or a zip file containing the program or its installer. Then it will behave as expected when you copy or move it from Downloads to Desktop.

I am only guessing that could be what went wrong. Please try my suggestion and let us know the result.

 

Most likely this has nothing to do with Windows 10. The same problem would have occurred if you were doing it all in Windows 7 or 8. For example it could be a corrupted download.

If my suggestion in the post above doesn't work for you, maybe you could give us a link to the webpage you downloaded from, and tell us what item on that page you were downloading.

 

To make a Desktop Icon
- find the program executable (.exe file) in File Explorer.
- Right Click on executable and select COPY
- Place the mouse cursor over the Desktop and Right Click and select Paste Shortcut.
- You have created a Program Icon shortcut on the Desktop.

 

Antilope,

I want to thank you and all the others for their kind help in this matter. You have given me the answer. This is what we need to tell all 7 users. Under 7 you merely RC copy and move to your desktop and LC paste. Not so with 10. Here you have to RC copy and on the desktop LC and paste shortcut. It works, thanks to all!

 

You need to install VMWare tools, it fixes the issue.