Unable to Create Shortcuts on the Desktop

When you attempt to create a new shortcut on the desktop, the Create Shortcut Wizard may not start, and a file named New Shortcut with a size of zero bytes may be created on the desktop.

This behavior can occur if a registry key is damaged or contains an incorrect value.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this issue, use Registry Editor to verify that the registry key listed below has the value listed, and if needed, edit the value to match the value listed.

Registry key:



Value for Command:



NOTE: If the Windows Desktop Update component is not installed on your computer, the following is the value for Command: