Users get an icon placed on their desktop at initial logon

Brass Contributor

Is it possible to disable this?

16 Replies

Also the start menu shortcut (which we provision) get changed after launching Edge?

Every get something figured out here? The MSI install places a shortcut on the public desktop, if removed, the first run from the user puts one on the user's desktop. On Chrome, we handle this via do_not_create_desktop_shortcut=true , time to test if the MSI install supports master_preferences I guess?

It would be nice if there were a GPO for this - Disable Desktop Shortcut Creation

@Jimi-D@FreekBloemhof@jeff_bb  you find a Solution for this on Mike Niehaus Blog:

https://oofhours.com/2020/02/10/deploying-the-new-microsoft-edge-without-a-desktop-shortcut/

 

He created a Transform-File which adds the do_not_create_desktop_shortcut Argument.

I can confirm used approach mentioned in this article to suppress desktop and quick launch shortcuts : https://oofhours.com/2020/02/10/deploying-the-new-microsoft-edge-without-a-desktop-shortcut/ Would be nicer to expose shortcut creation in the MSI shortcut or property tables, but injecting Chrome master_preference settings into the BuildInstallCommand CA appears to work.

@kprees 

Hello - the idea is we should be able to get the MSI from MS, configure the settings required in GPO and deploy without customising the msi package.

Microsoft need to supply a supported GPO / reg key to prevent it from occuring as this becomes an overhead on a 6 weekly release cycle / repackaging a base version. Microsoft provided reg keys for this of EdgeHTML and other applications, we need one for this as well.

Hi!
Any way to get rid of this Desktop-fitted icon? I mean, yes, during Edge setup icon is not placed at Public Desktop using master_preferences, but user still gets icon created when Edge profile just created. Or I missed something here? Sure, there is a way to set some script running at user logon to remove link, but … hopefully there is a better (GPO) way to accomplish this?
Terv, Alar.

I am now using the following settings in my master_preferences (which I deploy on every update):

 

"create_all_shortcuts":false,
"do_not_create_any_shortcuts":true,
"do_not_create_desktop_shortcut":true,
"do_not_create_quick_launch_shortcut":true,
"do_not_create_taskbar_shortcut":true

 

I am not seeing a desktop shortcut beeing created for now, but the new behavior is that there is an icon pinned to the taskbar.  After adding ""do_not_create_any_shortcuts":true" is seems fixed. 

It must be in the "distribution" part of the master_preferences file. My complete file is this:

{ 
"distribution":{ 
"msi":true,
"system_level":true,
"verbose_logging":true,
"msi_product_id":"2D0AE8FB-D52E-3D51-845F-FF1A7FFBB09E",
"allow_downgrade":false,
"create_all_shortcuts":false,
"do_not_create_any_shortcuts":true,
"do_not_create_desktop_shortcut":true,
"do_not_create_quick_launch_shortcut":true,
"do_not_create_taskbar_shortcut":true
}
}

@FreekBloemhof

Hi and thanks!
Yes, adding "do_not_create_any_shortcuts":true prevents creating Desktop shortcut for user when no profile present, initial running of Edge. Good. (Before that other three settings didn’t stop this to happen.)
More thanks, Alar.

Still … I was too hasty, after several trying starting Edge with profile (directory) not existing it still does create Desktop shortcut. Using 80.0.361.62. And master preferences as You pointed.
Alar.

Well, when in user Edge directory is already present empty file “First Run” then Desktop shortcut (in my case) is not created when Edge is initially launched. Despite master preference file is there or not, seems to. Not ideal, I prefer certainly working policy setting, but … I can manage that as we need to run clean (~ newly created) profile for certain web site to access. Sure, this (sort of) solution does not work when user does login and Edge default profile is not there or user launching Edge from usual (system) shortcut and default profile is not there. But, for default profile we can later to remove Desktop shortcut and it will not reappear. But, as said, working in every meaning policy setting is certainly preferable. Perhaps there is one, but I can’t find it out. =)
I’ll keep testing.
Alar.

Hello @MSAlf 

Definetly needs to be a GPO setting, inline with just about every other Microsoft application. In theory we should be able to have the generic MSI, and deploy with no customisations -especially now on a 6 week release cycle.

All customisations should be able to be done in policy, or at least via a registry setting.

The settings work for the icons, but i have the problem, after the initial run the profile directory icon will pinned on the taskbar.

 

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/enterprise/edge-chromium-icon-in-taskbar/m-p/1219204/highligh... 

 

Somebody has the same problem?

@pilgi3 

Hi!
Yes, I saw this mentioned before here, but I don’t see that happening here. Maybe something about other policy settings, we have only one profile and not allowed to create, but not forced to sign-in using MS account. So, you (and others) have ok with Desktop icons, but problem with pinned ones, we here have contrary – problem with Desktop icons and not with pinned ones, seems to be pattern. But I have no idea, at least for this moment, where the problem lies in.
Terv, Alar.

Hi@Jimi-D !

+1. Totally agreed! And all must be done in timely fashion. At least we rely on it.
Terv, Alar.

@MSAlf 

I found out, that this happens to all new userprofiles. 

So i install the new edge during i am logged in.

All fine, no icon even when i start Edge.

Then i log off and log in with a different account - Icon in the taskbar.

pilgi3_0-1584973192679.png

 

Is there a setting to suppress this icon creation?

My master preferences looks like:

 

pilgi3_1-1584973368022.png

Btw. should be the msi_product_id the product code of the msi?

pilgi3_3-1584973816847.png

 

Thanks!