Question Steam desktop shortcuts are not automatically created in Windows 11 ?

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WrongRookie

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Oct 23, 2020
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When I install a game on steam and tell it to create desktop shortcut it does not do it automatically for me. I have to press refresh inorder for it to be created automatically.

I tried making it full control and removing parenting inheritence for the access thing but that still doesn't work. I resetted the icon cache but that still doesn't work. Everyother desktop icon I create as a shortcut works instantly but for the Steam games. Steam automatically creates a shortcut. Why is this happening and is there a fix to this?!?

I don't know why this is happening in windows 11..it was never a problem with windows 10. This issue started when I reinstalled Windows 11 after making my new SSD the boot drive(Steam is stored on an existing drive).

Specs

Intel i5 13600k

Ram : 64 GB Ripjaws V

GPU : MSI GeForce RTX 2060 VENTUS GP OC 6GB

Motherboard : MSI MAG B660 TOMAHAWK WIFI DDR4 (MS- 7D41)

OS : Windows 11 Pro

Drives: Samsung 980 Pro 1TB

Crucial MX500 2TB

Crucial MX500 4TB

Samsung 870 Evo 2TB
 
Solution
Colif
WrongRookie said:
One thing that I want to also know is do Samsung drives stop certain things from being created? Both my drives are Samsung but the drive that has Steam is 870 Evo and the C: Drive is 980 Pro.
Click to expand...
No

I use my 970 evo plus nvme as C drive and have a few games on it. Steam auto creates shortcuts


its possible its your user
can make a new one and see if it makes any difference
Create a local user and make it admin - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows-20de74e0-ac7f-3502-a866-32915af2a34d
go to c:/users/currentusernamefolder
copy the contents of this folder onto the new users folder
that gives it all the same access and removes need to download anything again.

logon...
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open command prompt (admin)
Now, copy the following command and paste it into the Command Prompt. After that, hit Enter.

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe” /repair
Click to expand...

The only other way is to uninstall and reinstall client again. Which is a really long way.

www.thewindowsclub.com

How to repair Steam Client on Windows PC

You can repair the Steam Client on Windows 11/10 PC by running a command in the Command Prompt. Here is a complete guide on this.
www.thewindowsclub.com www.thewindowsclub.com

Have you tried right clicking the games in Steam library and choose create shortcut?
nZfXsGV.jpg
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Colif said:
open command prompt (admin)


The only other way is to uninstall and reinstall client again. Which is a really long way.

www.thewindowsclub.com

How to repair Steam Client on Windows PC

You can repair the Steam Client on Windows 11/10 PC by running a command in the Command Prompt. Here is a complete guide on this.
www.thewindowsclub.com www.thewindowsclub.com

Have you tried right clicking the games in Steam library and choose create shortcut?
nZfXsGV.jpg
Click to expand...

I have tried the repair via cmd. Doesn't work. I backed up my game saves and apps and reinstalled without putting the files back and it still doesn't create the shortcut automatically.

This is a bug that I seriously don't know how to fix it. I'm using Samsung 870 Evo and long before it was doing it fine until now. Something is seriously weird with this that doesn't make sense. I don't think there's anything wrong with the drive itself because otherwise it wouldn't even run Steam.

It must be their new version or something that's causing this. I however appreciate your support in this Colif.

EDIT : And yes I did go to manage add desktop shortcut. Even when installing a game, I checked the box that says create desktop shortcut. Thing is if I refresh it, the shortcut appears but unlike the others where it will create instantly, this one requires it to refresh it.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
its not your PC if every other shortcut works fine.

could try scanning windows and see if it finds anything

right click start
choose terminal (admin)
if it opens as command prompt, click on drop down arrow in title row and pick Powershell
copy/paste this command into window:

Repair-WindowsImage -Online -RestoreHealth

and press enter

Then type SFC /scannow

and press enter

Restart PC if SFC fixes any files as some fixes require a restart to be implemented

First command repairs the files SFC uses to clean files, and SFC fixes system files

SFC = System File Checker. First command runs DISM - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/what-is-dism?view=windows-11



Otherwise its a really strange Steam bug.

its possible its leaving registry entries behind and when you reinstall, it just uses them again.

if you going to look in there, back it up before hand - https://neosmart.net/wiki/backup-restore-registry/

Otherwise, the bottom of this shows its location in registry, you could check if it still exists after an uninstall - https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/3C73-90F9-F600-0266
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
Colif said:
its not your PC if every other shortcut works fine.

could try scanning windows and see if it finds anything

right click start
choose terminal (admin)
if it opens as command prompt, click on drop down arrow in title row and pick Powershell
copy/paste this command into window:

Repair-WindowsImage -Online -RestoreHealth

and press enter

Then type SFC /scannow

and press enter

Restart PC if SFC fixes any files as some fixes require a restart to be implemented

First command repairs the files SFC uses to clean files, and SFC fixes system files

SFC = System File Checker. First command runs DISM - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/what-is-dism?view=windows-11



Otherwise its a really strange Steam bug.

its possible its leaving registry entries behind and when you reinstall, it just uses them again.

if you going to look in there, back it up before hand - https://neosmart.net/wiki/backup-restore-registry/

Otherwise, the bottom of this shows its location in registry, you could check if it still exists after an uninstall - https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/3C73-90F9-F600-0266
Click to expand...

While the windows image shows it as healthy, I'm wondering if its fine if path is left blank... SFC didn't find any issues.

https://imgur.com/GuijLS8
View: https://imgur.com/GuijLS8


But you are right that the registry for steam is still there even after uninstalling steam. Should I delete it? I already backed up the registry.

EDIT: I'll delete the registry and see what happens.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
how to disable Bitdefender - https://www.bitdefender.com.au/consumer/support/answer/88404/
Windows might put on defenders firewall while you have bitdefender off but it shouldn't stop Steam

Other apps:
Try a clean boot and see if it changes anything - make sure to read instructions and make sure NOT to disable any microsoft services or windows won't load right - https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

It doesn’t delete anything, it just stops non Microsoft programs running with start. Easy to reverse.

if clean boot fixes it, it shows its likely a startup program. You should, over a number of startups. restart the programs you stopped to isolate the one that is to blame.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
Colif said:
how to disable Bitdefender - https://www.bitdefender.com.au/consumer/support/answer/88404/
Windows might put on defenders firewall while you have bitdefender off but it shouldn't stop Steam

Other apps:
Try a clean boot and see if it changes anything - make sure to read instructions and make sure NOT to disable any microsoft services or windows won't load right - https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

It doesn’t delete anything, it just stops non Microsoft programs running with start. Easy to reverse.

if clean boot fixes it, it shows its likely a startup program. You should, over a number of startups. restart the programs you stopped to isolate the one that is to blame.
Click to expand...

I tried disabling bitdefender software but that does not create the desktop shortcut for the steam games instantly. I tried doing a clean boot that disables all the software that could possibly interfere with Steam but that didn't work either.

I even went with the last resort and downloaded the installer again but that didn't create desktop shortcuts instantly either still.

This is seriously suggesting that it is a bug from their side that they have to fix because if the clean boot and disabling the antivirus didn't fix it, what else would cause the issue?

Colif is there a way to like have some kind of app that when you execute the command, you see the log file? This way, if I create the desktop shortcut instantly, the log should show the error of some sorts.

EDIT: I contacted Steam again confirming that the above didn't work. One thing that I want to also know is do Samsung drives stop certain things from being created? Both my drives are Samsung but the drive that has Steam is 870 Evo and the C: Drive is 980 Pro.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
WrongRookie said:
One thing that I want to also know is do Samsung drives stop certain things from being created? Both my drives are Samsung but the drive that has Steam is 870 Evo and the C: Drive is 980 Pro.
Click to expand...
No

I use my 970 evo plus nvme as C drive and have a few games on it. Steam auto creates shortcuts


its possible its your user
can make a new one and see if it makes any difference
Create a local user and make it admin - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows-20de74e0-ac7f-3502-a866-32915af2a34d
go to c:/users/currentusernamefolder
copy the contents of this folder onto the new users folder
that gives it all the same access and removes need to download anything again.

logon to new user
logon to steam
try to make a shortcut

if it works, its fairly easy to swap to using new user. Just need to logon to a few things and set up desktop. It could be an easy fix.
 
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Solution
Colif said:
No

I use my 970 evo plus nvme as C drive and have a few games on it. Steam auto creates shortcuts


its possible its your user
can make a new one and see if it makes any difference
Create a local user and make it admin - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows-20de74e0-ac7f-3502-a866-32915af2a34d
go to c:/users/currentusernamefolder
copy the contents of this folder onto the new users folder
that gives it all the same access and removes need to download anything again.

logon to new user
logon to steam
try to make a shortcut

if it works, its fairly easy to swap to using new user. Just need to logon to a few things and set up desktop. It could be an easy fix.
Click to expand...

You are right Colif! It works now! Once I create a shortcut for a steam game, it's automatically created! It even creates shortcut for steam games upon installing them!

So now what? What else do I need to swap from the old user?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
just need to log on to any services you normally use. For instance, Onedrive or possibly accounts on browsers.

I would keep other user around as its always handy to have a 2nd one, just in case.
I had a broken user long ago and that method fixed it for me.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I deleted that old user but I did backup the old user's files. Sounds like that user is corrupted anyways... :/

Regardless thanks Colif. You really are a Win 11 Master. I can't believe Steam couldn't offer this solution!
 
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