To create a normal Windows desktop shortcut from Command Prompt, use PowerShell’s WScript.Shell.CreateShortcut method to save a .lnk file. mklink is not the right command for that job: it creates filesystem links, not conventional Windows shortcuts.
Create a .lnk shortcut with PowerShell
Open PowerShell, or run the same code from cmd.exe. Set the destination to the full path and filename of the shortcut, and set TargetPath to the program or file it should open:
$shell = New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell
$link = $shell.CreateShortcut('C:UsersPublicDesktopExample.lnk')
$link.TargetPath = 'C:WindowsSystem32notepad.exe'
$link.WorkingDirectory = 'C:WindowsSystem32'
$link.Description = 'Open Notepad'
$link.Save()This creates Example.lnk on the Public Desktop and points it to Notepad. The WScript.Shell object model supports creating the link, setting properties, and saving it; see Microsoft’s VBScript shortcut example and PowerShell shortcut example.
Add arguments or change shortcut details
Set only the optional properties you need, before calling Save(). For example, to pass arguments to the target program:
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$link.Arguments = '--example-argument'You can also set WorkingDirectory, Description, or IconLocation. The target path identifies what opens; the working directory sets the folder in which the program starts. Microsoft’s archived PowerShell example notes that shortcut arguments are passed to the executable.
Run the shortcut code from Command Prompt
To create the link directly from cmd.exe, invoke PowerShell with -Command:
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powershell.exe -NoProfile -Command "$s=New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell; $l=$s.CreateShortcut('C:UsersPublicDesktopExample.lnk'); $l.TargetPath='C:WindowsSystem32notepad.exe'; $l.Save()"For a longer command, use a PowerShell script instead of a one-liner. Put quotes around paths containing spaces, make sure the destination folder already exists, and use an account that can write to that folder.
Create the shortcut with VBScript
If you prefer VBScript, save this as make-shortcut.vbs:
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Set shell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set link = shell.CreateShortcut("C:UsersPublicDesktopExample.lnk")
link.TargetPath = "C:WindowsSystem32notepad.exe"
link.WorkingDirectory = "C:WindowsSystem32"
link.Description = "Open Notepad"
link.SaveRun it from Command Prompt with:
cscript.exe make-shortcut.vbscscript.exe runs Windows Script Host scripts in a console; wscript.exe is its GUI-oriented variant.
Why mklink does not create a normal Windows shortcut
A conventional shortcut is a binary Shell Link file with the .lnk extension. Microsoft’s Shell Links documentation describes the information a link file can store, including its target and optional working directory, arguments, display state, icon, description, and hotkey.
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By contrast, mklink creates filesystem links that redirect access to another path:
mklink [[/d] | [/h] | [/j]] <link> <target>- No switch creates a file symbolic link.
/dcreates a directory symbolic link./hcreates a hard link./jcreates a directory junction.
Use CreateShortcut when you want a clickable .lnk with shortcut metadata. Use mklink when you specifically need filesystem redirection. Microsoft’s Windows Commands reference covers command-line tools such as mklink.
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