Windows 10: Installing Programs to One User Only

On older Windows OS's, I've had no trouble using separate user accounts. When I install a program (actual software, not a Windows Store app) on one, it doesn't show up on another user account. Until now.

My wife and I just bought a desktop to share and everything I install shows up on her user account. I've made us both standard users, but stuff keeps showing up. She's a local user and I'm a Live (or whatever they're calling it now) user account. I've tried changing the directory of the installation to just my user folder, but it still shows up on her desktop (just as a generic icon, not the actual icon associated with the program on my user account).

What the heck? Is this a new Windows feature I'm supposed to love or am I missing something?

To make things even weirder, she installed Word on hers and it doesn't show up on mine. But everything else is shared between us and I don't understand why.

:)

 

How do I install a program only for one user.

The title is pretty self-explanatory.

Pretty much all I want is when I install a game just for me it doesn't appear on the other user accounts on the computer because I share

a PC with my family.

I've already done some research and I don't even know if it is possible. I've heard some programs have to option to install only for one user account.

But the games and programs that I installed didn't. Is there any way I can fix this?

Thank you for reading this.

 

How do I install a program only for one user.

It is only possible if the program itself was built with that option in mind by the team/creator of the program.

 

Hello and welcome to the TenForums *Smile

When you install a program the locations of shortcuts and menu items are often dictated by the original programmer and you may not get the option of altering these during the installation. They can be influenced by what type of account you have as well.

The program will be there for all users, you just might need to look in the Program Files folders and copy the shortcut or make a new shortcut.

This is the location where the shared program shortcuts should end up: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Individual users shortcuts end up in the AppData folder: C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

You can move the shortcuts around if you want to change the way they appear in your two accounts, but you would need to be in an administrator account to be able to do this.

Hope this helps.

 

Thank you, I'll give that a shot when I get home. I don't mind tinkering with things when I install them, but she's not the type to want to do anything. I'm trying to make things as unobtrusive as possible for her. I'll let you know if it does the trick!

 

Maybe there are different kinds of shortcuts, but the ones I've encountered lately for "shared" programs have gone into C:\Users\Public\Desktop. To give these shortcuts to just one user I move them to C:\Users\userid\Desktop And by the way, even though the path to the public desktop folder ends in "Desktop", it displays as "Public Desktop". I have no idea why.

 

The desktop shortcuts are different and are optionally added during the installation process. The locations you have provided are correct for these. The shortcuts I was referring to are the entries that appear in the start menu under All Apps.

 

Dealing with the shortcuts is just one aspect though. Consider programs that
a. start their own services- for which user?
b. define their own working storage folders - which could be in various user folders.
c. start their own software drivers (not hardware related) running - for which user?
d. create a scheduled task - for which user?

I'm sure there must be sthg else.
Some program installers offer clear prompts on this, some you have to watch very carefully. Others may offer no choice.

 

The solution that worked for me was this: when installing I would look for an advanced option and de-select "create desktop shortcut." Then I would go into the folder and create a shortcut on my desktop. Kind of a clunky work-around but it does the trick. Thanks, guys!