nextcloud / nextcloud/desktop

Windows client installation always adds desktop icon - no way to turn it off

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#10,776 0 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
0. Needs triage bug
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C++
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Description

### ⚠️ Before submitting, please verify the following: ⚠️

- [x] This is a **bug**, not a question or a configuration issue.
- [x] This issue is **not** already reported on Github (I have searched for it).
- [x] Nextcloud Server and Desktop Client are **up to date**. See [Server Maintenance and Release Schedule](https://github.com/nextcloud/server/wiki/Maintenance-and-Release-Schedule) and [Desktop Releases](https://nextcloud.com/install/#install-clients) for supported versions.
- [x] I agree to follow Nextcloud's [Code of Conduct](https://nextcloud.com/contribute/code-of-conduct/)

### Bug description

As described: Installing the Windows Nextcloud client adds a desktop icon, unasked. This also affects each single update. I consider this to be a bug, as it requires manual interaction after each install/update.

### Steps to reproduce

- Install Nextcloud on Windows
- Check your desktop
- Nextcloud icon added

On Updates:
- Remove Nextcloud desktop icon
- Update Nextcloud
- Icon is added again

### Expected behavior

Having app icons on the desktop stems from reasons in the past of Windows, and it is a user specific preference - I do not want or need it. Nextcloud starts by itself, there's usually no reason to start it manually from the desktop.

Recommendation:
- Make adding a desktop icon an install-time preference, which is also offered on updates - e.g. in form of a checkbox
- Remember the user's selection on Nextcloud client updates, uncheck it if the user unchecked it with the last install/update

### Which files are affected by this bug

Desktop icon (there is no specific file affected)

### Operating system

Windows

### Which version of the operating system you are running.

Windows 11

### Installation method

Official Windows MSI

### Nextcloud Server version

33.0.8

### Nextcloud Desktop Client version

34.0.3

### Did this occur after an update or on a clean installation?

Minor version update (i.e. 33.0.0 → 33.0.1)

### Are you using the Nextcloud Server Encryption module?

Yes

### Are you using an external user-backend?

- [ ] Default internal user-backend
- [ ] LDAP or Active Directory
- [ ] SSO - SAML
- [ ] Other

### Nextcloud Server logs

```shell

```

### Additional info

_No response_

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start with the official Windows MSI installation and update flow described in the report, focusing on where the desktop icon is created. Done means installation and updates offer a persistent opt-out, and the icon is not recreated when the user has declined it.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
desktop, operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
55/100

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