Would you like to learn how to configure a group policy to create a shortcut on the user desktop? In this tutorial, we will show you how to create a shortcut on the user desktop using a GPO.
Windows 2012 R2
Windows 2016
Windows 2019
Windows 10
Windows 7
Equipment list
The following section presents the list of equipment used to create this tutorial.
Server
Network Switch
Laptop
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List of Tutorials
GPO - Lock the screen after inactivity
GPO - Force the USB drive encryption
GPO - Turn off Wifi if ethernet is connected
GPO - Traffic shaper
GPO - Map network drive
GPO - Application Locker
GPO - Lock user account after 3 fails
GPO - Add local administrators
GPO - Rename administrator account
GPO - Proxy configuration
GPO - Prevent proxy configuration changes
GPO - Proxy auto-configuration script
GPO - Google Chrome configuration
GPO - Google Chrome proxy configuration
GPO - Disable the installation of Chrome extensions
GPO - Disable the Chrome password manager
GPO - Mozilla Firefox configuration
GPO - Disable the installation of Firefox extensions
GPO - Disable the Firefox password manager
GPO - Disable autorun and autoplay
GPO - Disable SMBv1
GPO - Rename guest account
GPO - Configure the Firewall
GPO - Install an MSI package
GPO - Configure the Wallpaper
GPO - NTP client
GPO - NTP server
GPO - Press CTRL + ALT + DEL before login
GPO - Change RDP port
GPO - Windows Defender cloud-based protection
GPO - Message after login
GPO - Logoff RDP session after inactivity
GPO - Disconnect RDP session after inactivity
GPO - Prevent control panel access
GPO - Limit control panel options
Tutorial GPO - Create a shortcut on the user desktop
On the domain controller, open the group policy management tool.
Create a new group policy.
Enter a name for the new group policy.
In our example, the new GPO was named: MY-GPO.
On the Group Policy Management screen, expand the folder named Group Policy Objects.
Right-click your new Group Policy Object and select the Edit option.
On the group policy editor screen, expand the User configuration folder and locate the following item.
Create a shortcut.
On the General tab, perform the following configuration.
Action - Update.
Name - Enter a name for the new shortcut.
Target type - Select the shortcut target type.
Location - Select the shortcut destination folder.
Target URL - Enter the URL path.
Click on the OK button.
In our example, we created a shortcut named INTRANET on the user desktop.
To save the group policy configuration, you need to close the Group Policy editor.
Congratulations! You have finished the GPO creation.
Tutorial - Applying the GPO to create a shortcut
On the Group policy management screen, you need to right-click the Organizational Unit desired and select the option to link an existent GPO.
In our example, we are going to link the group policy named MY-GPO to the root of the domain.
After applying the GPO you need to wait for 10 or 20 minutes.
During this time the GPO will be replicated to other domain controllers.
On a remote computer, verify if the new shortcut was created.
In our example, we created a shortcut on the user desktop using a GPO.