Creating an Outlook Desktop shortcut in Windows 8

Creating a Desktop shortcut for Outlook in Windows 8 is indeed not that straightforward. In Windows 7 and previous, you’d simply right click the Outlook shortcut in your Start Menu and choose: Send To-> Desktop (create shortcut)

In Windows 8, you’ll have to do a bit more tricky right clicking.

Note: This method can be used for any application, not just Outlook.

Method 1: Open file location

Maybe the easiest way to go, would be to do a search for Outlook in the Start Menu, right click on it and from the context menu that pops up choose: Open File Location.

This will open a File Explorer window with the actual location of the Start Menu shortcut. You can copy and paste this shortcut to your Desktop or right click on the shortcut and choose: Send To-> Desktop (create shortcut)

Extra Tip: You can use this location to create a Start Menu toolbar in Windows 8 as well. Right click on an empty space on your Task Bar and choose Toolbars-> New toolbar… and point it to the following location:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\

Method 2: Pin to Taskbar first

Another way to go would be to pin Outlook to your Taskbar first. Having Outlook pinned to your Taskbar might be something you want too anyway.

To pin Outlook to your Taskbar, right click on Outlook in the Start Menu Search Results and choose: Pin to Taskbar.

Once you have Outlook pinned to your Taskbar, make sure that Outlook is closed. Then hold the SHIFT button and choose: Send To-> Desktop (create shortcut)

When Outlook isn't closed, you can still achieve the same by first right clicking on the icon and from the list that pops up, right click on Outlook 2013 (or whatever your version is) while holding the SHIFT button and choose: Send To-> Desktop (create shortcut)

Creating a shortcut for a running application (click on image to enlarge)

Creating a shortcut for a pinned application (click on image to enlarge)

As mentioned before, this will also work for every other application of course and you don't actually have to pin it to your Taskbar first if you have the application running already.

Method 3: Via the Program Files folder

A final approach would be to simply browse to the OUTLOOK.EXE file in its installation directory and use the right click option there to create a Desktop shortcut.

Below are the default installation directories for Office:

• 32-bit Office on a 32-bit version of Windows
  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office##
• 32-bit Office on a 64-bit version of Windows
  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office (x86)\Office##
• 64-bit Office on a 64-bit version of Windows
  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office##
• Office 365
  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office##