To put the Zoom icon on your Windows 11 desktop, click Start > All (or All apps), scroll to Zoom Workplace (older versions are just called Zoom), and drag it onto the desktop. Windows creates a shortcut you can double-click to open Zoom. If dragging doesn’t work, right-click Zoom in the list, choose More > Open file location, then right-click the Zoom shortcut and choose Show more options > Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).
Here are the steps in detail, plus how to pin Zoom to the taskbar and what to do if Zoom isn’t in the Start menu.
Method 1: Drag from the Start menu
- Click Start, then All in the top-right corner of the Start menu.
- Scroll to the Z section and find Zoom Workplace.
- Click and drag it onto an empty area of the desktop, then release.
Method 2: Send to Desktop from the file location
- Click Start > All, right-click Zoom Workplace, and choose More > Open file location.
- In the folder that opens, right-click the Zoom shortcut.
- Choose Show more options > Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).
Method 3: Pin Zoom to the taskbar or Start
- Taskbar: Right-click Zoom in the Start menu and choose Pin to taskbar. Or, while Zoom is open, right-click its taskbar icon and choose Pin to taskbar.
- Start: Right-click it and choose Pin to Start.
Many people find the taskbar faster than a desktop icon because it’s always visible.
Zoom isn’t in the Start menu?
- Install it: Download Zoom Workplace from zoom.us or the Microsoft Store, then try again.
- Search for it: Click Start and type Zoom. Right-click the result for Open file location or Pin options.
- Installed per user: Zoom often installs in your user folder rather than Program Files. Searching is the easiest way to find it.
- Joining from a browser only: If you join meetings through a browser, there’s no app to pin. Install the app for a desktop icon.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the app called Zoom Workplace?
Zoom renamed its desktop app in 2024. It’s the same app for meetings, chat, and phone.
Why does the desktop icon have an arrow?
The arrow means it’s a shortcut. Deleting it doesn’t uninstall Zoom.
How do I make Zoom start when I sign in?
In Zoom, open Settings > General and check Start Zoom when I start Windows.
For other apps, see how to add apps to the desktop in Windows 11.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.