Windows 10: Shortcuts appearing on all users desktops

Hello all,

I've just bought a new computer with Win 10 installed of course *Smile

I have the main user account as admin and I've set up two other user accounts for my kids, without admin.

Whenever I install a new application a shortcut for that application gets placed on everyone's desktop. If I delete the shortcut, say on my daughters desktop, it also deletes it from my own desktop.

Is there a setting to change somewhere.

Any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks

:)

 

How to create folders in Windows 10 Start Menu? Problems with shortcuts

Some weeks ago I could create folders in the Start Menu of Windows 10; now I cannot.

I cannot do this in the Current User Start Up folder (in App folder; access by means of Alt+R, shell:start menu) nor in the All Users Start Up folder (in ProgramData; access by means of Alt+R, shell:common start menu). In both cases I can create the
folder but it does not appear in the Start Menu.

Also: If I copy shortcuts from the Desktop to these Star Menu folders, the shortcuts do not appear in the Start Menu. Even the option to create shortcuts does not appear in the contextual menu (right mouse click) of the All Users Start Menu folder.
The only way I found to create shortcuts to these folders is: create a shortcut in the Current User folder and copy it, if desired, to the All Users folder. To create a shortcut to the Current User folder I can also copy the EXE file and paste it in the current
user folder as a shortcut.

Can all this be solved in my computer, or it is the normal way the current version of Windows 10 works?

 

Windows Explorer desktop.

That's an interesting question, which I suspect you are asking because Windows File Explorer doesn't display all of the visible shortcuts on your Desktop.

The reason File Explorer doesn't display all Desktop content is that not all of the icons you can see are truly on your User Desktop! The Desktop view is actually a merged view of 3 different sources. Try this:

1. Right-Click on one of the DeskTop Icons that does appear in File Manager > Select "Properties" > Select "Details" You will see that the Folder Path is C:\Users\UserName\Desktop

2. Right-Click on one of the DeskTop Shortcuts that does NOT appear in File Manager > Select "Properties" > Select "Details" You will see that the Folder Path is C:\Users\Public\Desktop

3. The System Icons such as Recycle Bin are a 'special case', because you choose whether or not they Show on the Desktop through a Control Panel setting. They aren't shortcuts and actually truly on the Desktop at all; they are just showing
through from their true location. e.g. Check the properties of the Recycle Bin - No mention of the Desktop at all, just a location of C:

So, what you see in Windows File Explorer is your true User Desktop. If you look at the Public Desktop you will see any Shortcuts Missing from the User Desktop. You will never see the 'System Icons' because they aren't there, just 'showing' there under
User Instructions.

Quite complex, but hope it's clear.

 

Hi Gordon, welcome to Ten Forums.

This quote from another similar thread:

Solved 2nd user can see all my shortcuts ? - Windows 10 Forums

 

Thanks for your welcome Karri,

great advice, although at first I couldn't find the public desktop folder I soon realised it was hidden and changed the folders properties.

Also I was confused as I wanted to have the same shortcuts on more than one account but soon learned instead of dragging them across, copying them into each desktop separately worked fine, deleting the final one from the public desktop.

I just mention the above for advice to other viewers on this thread, I bet you knew all of that already.

Thanks again for the welcome, I can see I'll be reading a lot at these forums from now on *Smile

 

You are welcome.

The idea of the public desktop folder is that when you install software that by default or by your choice will be available to all users, the shortcut will be placed on public desktop.

The desktop any user sees is a combination of two desktop folders, the user specific one and the public one.

 

Oh I see. If I pay more attention the next time I install something, will I be able to see an option not to place a shortcut in the public desk top? Maybe I should never just accept the easy install options and choose the customise install option?

 

Most software will be installed for all users. Selecting Advanced or Options (depends on software) when installing might let you choose if the software will be installed for current user only or for all users (not all software installers have this option, those which have might not always use Advanced or Options label for buttons where you find this option).

Opera browser installer is a good example. If you download it from opera.com and just accept defaults (#1 in screenshot below), it will be installed for all users and shortcut will be created on public desktop for all users to see it:




To install it only for you, you need to click Options (#2 in above screenshot) and select Install for Current user:





Selecting Current user Opera will now be installed for you only, shortcut placed on your personal desktop, and Opera in Start menu will only be shown to you.

 

I thought it may be something like that.

Thanks for taking the time for the great explanation Kari