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Frustrations and Solutions: Deploying Desktop Shortcuts via Intune

Josh Reese

Jul 18 2025

4 min read

As a senior network consultant, I’ve spent countless hours working through Microsoft Intune configurations, and I’d like to think I’ve gotten fairly efficient at it. But there’s one Intune task that—surprisingly—has remained far more difficult than it should be: deploying desktop shortcuts.

You’d think that pushing a simple shortcut to a user’s desktop would be a built-in feature in a modern device management platform like Microsoft Intune. After all, it’s 2025, and we’re managing devices in the cloud, deploying security policies, onboarding new users, and even automating patch management with relative ease. And yet, the task of pushing a shortcut file—something so fundamental—feels needlessly convoluted.

Like many of you, I scoured the internet for a straightforward way to deploy desktop icons to users through Intune. I found a myriad of “solutions,” most of which involved scripting with PowerShell, deploying those scripts via Win32 apps, or using other complex workarounds that felt more like patchwork than practical administration. While these approaches may technically work, they often feel like overkill and lack the polish and scalability we expect in an enterprise environment.

After growing increasingly frustrated, I came across a blog by Shehab Noaman that changed everything. His post, Simplifying Desktop Shortcut Deployment in Intune, introduced a tool and a process that finally provided the simplicity and clarity I had been looking for.

The Real Solution

In his article, Shehab outlines a method for creating desktop shortcuts using a simple, intuitive tool he built. What I appreciated most was how the tool eliminates the need for long PowerShell scripts or complex packaging. It guides you through creating the shortcut in a user-friendly interface and then packages it as a Win32 app that you can easily deploy through Intune.

The blog covers every step in the process—from creating the shortcut, to configuring the Intune deployment, to assigning it to devices or users. It’s clean, easy to follow, and, most importantly, effective.

If you’re currently managing devices with Intune and need to deploy desktop shortcuts—do yourself a favor and go read Shehab’s post. It’s a lifesaver.

Real-World Use Case

One of my clients recently went through a separation, where a segment of their staff split off to form a new organization. As part of that transition, we needed to stand up a new Intune tenant, deploy new workstations, and configure them for immediate productivity. That meant, among other things, delivering a consistent desktop experience, including access to the tools and locations they needed from day one.

Using Shehab’s tool, I was able to push out a curated set of desktop shortcuts to these new devices with minimal effort. We deployed links to websites specific to the new org structure, giving new users the familiarity and access they needed. It was a small but critical part of a smooth onboarding experience.

Without this tool and blog, I would’ve been stuck in yet another round of scripting and testing, likely costing hours of my time and the client’s.

Final Thoughts

Microsoft Intune is a powerful platform, but it’s not perfect. The lack of a built-in shortcut deployment feature is a gap I hope Microsoft eventually closes. Until then, tools like the one Shehab created are invaluable.

So, to wrap this up:

If you’ve been struggling with shortcut deployment in Intune, go read Shehab Noaman’s blog.
If you’re rolling out new devices and want to ensure consistent access to critical apps and resources, this solution will save you time and effort.
And most importantly, let’s give credit where it’s due—thank you, Shehab, for simplifying something that should have always been simple.

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About the Author

Josh Reese

Josh Reese is a Senior Network Consultant at Sikich, assisting clients in achieving their business objectives through technology and trusted advice. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from The University of Akron, as well as several Microsoft certifications. His primary area of focus revolves around Microsoft’s Cloud services. This includes working with both Azure and Microsoft 365 environments in order to drive clients toward full cloud enablement.