How can I create a shortcut file (.lnk) to another file or executable, using command line utilities?
There is some very useful information on this site: http://ss64.com/nt/shortcut.html
Seems like there is some shortcut.exe in some resource kit which I don't have.
As many other sites mention, there is no built-in way to do it from a batch file.
But you can do it from a VB script:
Optional sections in the VBscript below are commented out:
Set oWS = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") sLinkFile = "C:\MyShortcut.LNK" Set oLink = oWS.CreateShortcut(sLinkFile) oLink.TargetPath = "C:\Program Files\MyApp\MyProgram.EXE" ' oLink.Arguments = "" ' oLink.Description = "MyProgram" ' oLink.HotKey = "ALT+CTRL+F" ' oLink.IconLocation = "C:\Program Files\MyApp\MyProgram.EXE, 2" ' oLink.WindowStyle = "1" ' oLink.WorkingDirectory = "C:\Program Files\MyApp" oLink.Save
So, if you really must do it, then you could make your batch file write the VB script to disk, invoke it and then remove it again. For example, like so:
@echo off
echo Set oWS = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") > CreateShortcut.vbs
echo sLinkFile = "%HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%\Desktop\Hello.lnk" >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo Set oLink = oWS.CreateShortcut(sLinkFile) >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo oLink.TargetPath = "C:\Windows\notepad.exe" >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo oLink.Save >> CreateShortcut.vbs
cscript CreateShortcut.vbs
del CreateShortcut.vbs
Running the above script results in a new shortcut on my desktop:

Here's a more complete snippet from an anonymous contributor (updated with a minor fix):
@echo off
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
SET LinkName=Hello
SET Esc_LinkDest=%%HOMEDRIVE%%%%HOMEPATH%%\Desktop\!LinkName!.lnk
SET Esc_LinkTarget=%%SYSTEMROOT%%\notepad.exe
SET cSctVBS=CreateShortcut.vbs
SET LOG=".\%~N0_runtime.log"
((
echo Set oWS = WScript.CreateObject^("WScript.Shell"^)
echo sLinkFile = oWS.ExpandEnvironmentStrings^("!Esc_LinkDest!"^)
echo Set oLink = oWS.CreateShortcut^(sLinkFile^)
echo oLink.TargetPath = oWS.ExpandEnvironmentStrings^("!Esc_LinkTarget!"^)
echo oLink.Save
)1>!cSctVBS!
cscript //nologo .\!cSctVBS!
DEL !cSctVBS! /f /q
)1>>!LOG! 2>>&1
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1
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This works great for shortcut to a file. However, i'm having a weird problem using it for shortcut to a folder, when my variable Esc_LinkTarget contains an environment variable trying to get its parent folder. (Something like %CD%\.. does not work, but %CD% works). The shortcut target type becomes a 'File' instead of 'Folder' – EDM Mar 18 '16 at 1:37
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1@Edmund Interesting problem. I don't have time to look into it, but I would assume a trailing slash could make a difference. – Der Hochstapler Mar 18 '16 at 14:53
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Note: if you use
SET Esc_LinkTarget=%0then you have to remove the"fromecho oLink.TargetPath = oWS.ExpandEnvironmentStrings^(!Esc_LinkTarget!^)– Black Jul 28 '17 at 22:35 -
Instead of creating a vbscript for each execution it would have been far better to use
Wscript.Argumentsto get the command line arguments... lol – Sancarn May 8 at 10:29
Here's a similar solution using powershell (I know, you can probably re-write your whole batch file in PS, but if you just want to Get It Done™...)
set TARGET='D:\Temp'
set SHORTCUT='C:\Temp\test.lnk'
set PWS=powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -NoLogo -NonInteractive -NoProfile
%PWS% -Command "$ws = New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell; $s = $ws.CreateShortcut(%SHORTCUT%); $S.TargetPath = %TARGET%; $S.Save()"
You may have to explicity specify the path to PS in your file, but it should work. There are some additional attributes you can mangle through this object, too:
Name MemberType Definition
---- ---------- ----------
Load Method void Load (string)
Save Method void Save ()
Arguments Property string Arguments () {get} {set}
Description Property string Description () {get} {set}
FullName Property string FullName () {get}
Hotkey Property string Hotkey () {get} {set}
IconLocation Property string IconLocation () {get} {set}
RelativePath Property string RelativePath () {set}
TargetPath Property string TargetPath () {get} {set}
WindowStyle Property int WindowStyle () {get} {set}
WorkingDirectory Property string WorkingDirectory () {get} {set}
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Trix: If you believe that you have a better way of doing this, just post it as a new answer (linking to this one, if appropriate). – Scott Nov 4 '17 at 1:49
Besides shortcut.exe, you can also use the command line version of NirCmd to create shortcut. http://nircmd.nirsoft.net/shortcut.html
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11I recomend almost everything from NirSoft, it's the ultimate geek toolset – That Brazilian Guy Sep 30 '13 at 23:29
How about using mklink command ? C:\Windows\System32>mklink Creates a symbolic link.
MKLINK [[/D] | [/H] | [/J]] Link Target
/D Creates a directory symbolic link. Default is a file
symbolic link.
/H Creates a hard link instead of a symbolic link.
/J Creates a Directory Junction.
Link specifies the new symbolic link name.
Target specifies the path (relative or absolute) that the new link
refers to.
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10Good idea, but symlinks appear to behave a bit differently than shortcuts. If I create a shortcut to a Visual Studio solution, it opens all the relatively-pathed-projects correctly. However, if I open the same solution via a symlink, the working directory is that of the path in which the symlink resides, not the path to which it refers. – Walter Stabosz Apr 25 '14 at 16:54
After all the discussions we had here, this is my suggested solution:
download: http://optimumx.com/download/Shortcut.zip
extract it on your desktop (for example).
Now, suppose you want to create a shortcut for a file called scrum.pdf (also on desktop):
1. open CMD and go to desktop folder
2. run: Shortcut.exe /f:"%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\sc.lnk" /a:c /t:%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\scrum.pdf
it will create a shortcut called sc.lnk on your desktop that will point to the original file (scrum.pdf)
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That's not a shortcut; it's just a batch file that invokes a specified program. – Keith Thompson Feb 20 '12 at 18:47
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1a shortcut is something you run from windows, since he used CMD in the title and put the tag "command-line" I assumed he wants to run it from CMD. A batch file is the equivalent of a windows "shortcut" when you run in CMD (dos like) env. – alfasin Feb 20 '12 at 18:51
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2Since he put "shortcut (.lnk file)" in the body of the question, I assumed he wants to create an actual shortcut. – Keith Thompson Feb 20 '12 at 18:52
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1sorry for clarity i wanted to have a icon on my desktop that i made in cmd that would be a shortcut to a exe file – Shantanu Feb 20 '12 at 19:23
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now that I finally understood (slow thinker - what can you do...) I changed my answer. hope it helps! – alfasin Feb 21 '12 at 1:42
This free program has required functionality http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd2.html: (sample from said web page)
"Create a shortcut to Windows calculator under Start Menu->Programs->Calculators nircmd.exe shortcut "f:\winnt\system32\calc.exe" "~$folder.programs$\Calculators" "Windows Calculator"
My own sample to try: nircmd.exe shortcut "c:\windows\system32\calc.exe" "~$folder.desktop$" "Windows Calculator"
I know this topic is old but I wanted to provide the simple solution that worked for me.
I first copied the .ico file to my C: drive. Then I created the shortcut on my desktop and set the icon to the ico file on my C: drive. I then copied both the .ico and shortcut to a network share that my users have access to. Once there I wrote the following batch file to copy the ico and .url to the users windows 7 desktop. This creates the shortcut on all users desktop and keeps the icon file I set when creating the shortcut. I hope this helps someone.
@echo off
Copy "\\sharename\folder\icon.ico" "C:\"
pause
copy "\\sharename\folder\shortcut.url" "C:\Users\All Users\Desktop"
pause
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If this is the approach to take, it is better to create the actual shortcut (.lnk) which embeds the icon in it. That shortcut can then be copied everywhere. – LPChip Jul 2 '16 at 9:13
protected by Community♦ Oct 18 '16 at 5:04
Thank you for your interest in this question.
Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).
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(.ink file), as there was some confusion. I revised the question to reflect Shantanu's comment. While you do provide a way to make 'shortcuts', it does not answer this specific question. – iglvzx Feb 20 '12 at 19:57