I've recently discovered that the file and directory shortcuts (also known as .lnk files) on Windows 11 seem to be machine-specific now, especially since the 25H2 update. This revelation came from a conversation with Microsoft tech support. My issue started when I switched between two Windows 11 computers, both having identical file structures. For instance, a file located at "c:skyDropboxdirectoryfile.pdf" on one machine should theoretically have the same path on the other machine.
However, I've noticed that shortcuts created on one machine sometimes don't work on the other. They show up with an empty icon, and the target and path in properties aren't visible either. Microsoft confirmed that .lnk files are no longer just simple text files; now they're 'machine-specific execution caches' that can change based on various factors.
Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any settings that allow you to maintain the original link unaltered. I've found a workaround using batch files, but I would lose the convenience of traditional shortcuts. Before I start converting all my .lnk files to .bat files, I want to see if anyone else has faced this issue or if you have other solutions. Has anyone tackled this problem, and what alternatives do you suggest?
4 Answers
This change was likely made due to security vulnerabilities related to .lnk files. It’s pretty wild that Microsoft would decide to make shortcuts less portable! Batch files can work, but that's kind of a step back into the past. Have you thought about using symlinks instead? They actually might work for your case since they only store the filepath, making them more portable.
It sounds like a frustrating situation! I had a similar issue when I switched to Linux, where my Windows .lnk files for URLs weren't portable. I switched them to .html files that worked across both systems. You might want to consider rewriting your shortcuts as something similar if you're linking to local paths; I think the URL standard would still apply there too.
Are you sure the tech support specialist knew what they were talking about? I tested this by creating shortcuts in OneDrive, and they synced and worked fine across my two PCs running 25H2. It might not be an issue for everyone, especially if the files are synced properly. Maybe try copying the shortcut to a USB drive to see if it works there before discounting it.
If you don't mind a little coding, you could create a small program in Python to make batch files from your shortcuts. You could also add that program to your context menu for easier access, which could help streamline the process.
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