How will this help?
Whenever you download an application from the Google Play Store, BlueStacks automatically creates a shortcut for it on your desktop.
In certain instances, for example when a shortcut gets deleted by mistake, this article will guide you on how to create a shortcut for applications already installed on your PC, in a few minutes.
How can I create a shortcut?
You will have to create desktop shortcuts by yourself in the following 3 scenarios. Learn how to do so by clicking on them:
- You don't see desktop shortcuts being made for the apps you installed.
- You deleted the shortcut for an app, made on your desktop.
- You want to open an app directly in a particular instance of the Multi-Instance manager.
Enabling BlueStacks to create desktop shortcuts.
BlueStacks creates a desktop shortcut for each app you download. But, if this does not happen for you then don't worry. There is a very easy solution for the issue:
1. Open BlueStacks and go to the settings menu, by clicking the hamburger icon on the top right or the gear icon on the bottom right.
2. Go to the Preferences section inside the Settings menu.
3. Once you're in the Preferences section, scroll down until you see the Platform Settings. Under it you will come across the option to "Add desktop icons for installed apps".
4. Check the box next to that option. This will allow BlueStacks to make desktop shortcuts for all the apps that you have installed.
But for the apps which were installed before you checked this box, you will need to follow one of the methods given in the next section to make their desktop shortcuts.
Creating desktop shortcuts by yourself.
If the desktop shortcut for an app was not made or got deleted, then you can use any of the following two methods to make one yourself:
- Creating a desktop shortcut using BlueStacks Shortcut Creator
- Creating a desktop shortcut using Windows
Creating a desktop shortcut using BlueStacks Shortcut Creator
Your antivirus may pick up BlueStacks Shortcut Creator, but we assure you that it is a completely safe program and we highly recommend that you run it on your PC to create desktop shortcuts for your apps.
1. Download the BlueStacks Shortcut Creator from here.
2. Double click on it, once the download is done.
3. If Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prevents you from starting the BlueStacks Shortcut Creator, then click on More info.
4. Click on the option to Run anyway.
5. Now, the BlueStacks Shortcut Creator should open up.
6. Select the app you want to create a shortcut for, from the drop down menu.
7. Then, click on Create shortcut.
8. Finally, the desktop shortcut for the app you selected will be made.
Creating a desktop shortcut using Windows
1. Head to play.google.com and search for the app you'd like to make a new shortcut for. Let's search for Garena Free Fire: Wonderland in this instance.
2. Open the app and on the Google Play Store and copy the package name from the URL.
URL: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dts.freefireth
Package name: "com.dts.freefireth", we'll need it for the next step.
3. Right-click your desktop, select New > select Shortcut.
4. A window will open asking for the location of the item you want a shortcut to be made of. Type or paste the following, including the quotes, for either the 32bit Android version or the 64bit Android version of BlueStacks:
32bit Android: "C:\Program Files\BlueStacks\HD-RunApp.exe" -json "{\"app_icon_url\":\"\",\"app_name\":\"NAME OF APP\",\"app_url\":\"\",\"app_pkg\":\"APP_PACKAGE_NAME\"}"
64bit Android: "C:\Program Files\BlueStacks_bgp64\HD-
5. Replace the appropriate sections with the name of the application and the package name from earlier. For our case:
NAME OF APP: Garena Free Fire: Wonderland
APP PACKAGE NAME: com.dts.freefireth
Now you should have a desktop shortcut to the app with the BlueStacks logo as its icon. If you don't mind that, feel free to stop here, you're done!
But if you want to use the same icon that your app has then follow the steps below!
1. Right-click the shortcut > select properties > select change icon.
2. A pop-up window will open. Click Browse and navigate to the following location (if you have a custom install location, this will be different for you.)
32bit Android: C:\ProgramData\BlueStacks\
64bit Android: C:\ProgramData\BlueStacks_bgp64\Engine\UserData\Gadget
3. Select the icon that your app has. It's file name should be identical to the package name.
4. Now, all you have to do is apply the changes and your shortcut will show the same icon as your app.
Launching apps directly in specific instances.
You can use a shortcut to open an app directly in the instance of your choosing from the Multi-instance manager. This will save you the time and effort of opening the instance and then the app. Here's how to do it:
1. To launch an app on a specific instance you have created, all you have to do is add -vmname Android_X between .exe and -json in the location of the shortcut mentioned above in the second method for creating desktop shortcuts.
The location shortcut will appear like this for 32bit Android: "C:\Program Files\BlueStacks\HD-RunApp.
The shortcut will appear like this for 64bit Android: "C:\Program Files\BlueStacks_bgp64\HD-RunApp.
2. Replace the X in -vmname Android_X with the ID of the instance you'd like to launch. For example, If you have created 3 instances and you want to open the app in the first instance, then replace X with 1. Similarly, replace X with 2 or 3 for the second or third instance.
3. You will now have the shortcut to the instance on your desktop. You have to click the shortcut twice, once to open the instance and once to open the app.
Thank you for choosing BlueStacks. We hope you enjoy using it. If you have any further questions, please contact us at support@bluestacks.com. Happy Gaming!
Last updated on June 6, 2020.