User Question:
Here’s a question from a reader: I’ve installed Zoom, but I can’t find the shortcut to launch it quickly. Using Windows 11. Any idea on how I can quickly resolve this issue and get the Zoom icon back on my desktop for easy access as it seems to be lost using an operating system update.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
For Windows 11:
- Open File Explorer.
- Navigate to the following folder in File Explorer: C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Roaming\Zoom\bin. Plug your Windows user name as needed.
- Then go ahead and locate the Zoom.exe file.
- Right-click on Zoom.exe and select “Send to” > “Desktop (create shortcut)”.
- The Zoom icon should now appear on your desktop.
For macOS:
- Open the Finder application in your MAC computer.
- Click on “Applications” in the sidebar.
- Search and locate the Zoom.app file.
- Drag and drop the Zoom.app file to your desktop to create a shortcut.
- The Zoom icon should now appear on your desktop.
Why this issue happens?
The Zoom application doesn’t automatically create a desktop shortcut during installation on some systems. This can occur due to installation preferences or system settings. Creating a manual shortcut allows quick access to the application. If you are using Windows, you might know that the AppData folder is hidden by default, which is why many users struggle to find the Zoom executable. On macOS, creating an alias (shortcut) from the Applications folder to an application as Zoom is common practice.
Troubleshooting:
If the Zoom icon still doesn’t appear or doesn’t work:
- Ensure Zoom is fully installed by running the installer again.
- Check if your antivirus software is blocking Zoom.
- Restart your computer to apply any pending updates.
- For Windows, run the Command Prompt as administrator and type “sfc /scannow” to check for system file corruption.
- On macOS, reset the Launchpad by running “defaults write com.apple.dock ResetLaunchPad -bool true; killall Dock” in Terminal.
- If issues persist, uninstall and reinstall Zoom.