Some times applications may not have included a `.desktop` file and may not be detected by `qvm-sync-appmenus`.
Other times, you may want to make a web shortcut available from the Qubes start menu.
You can manually create new entries in the "available applications" list of shortcuts for all AppVMs based on a TemplateVM.
To do this:
1. Open a terminal window to the TemplateVM.
2. Create a custom `.desktop` file in `/usr/local/share/applications` (you may need to first create the subdirectory).
Look in `/usr/share/applications` for existing examples, or see the full [file specification](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/desktop-entry-spec-latest.html).
3. In dom0, run `qvm-sync-appmenus <TemplateVMName>`.
4. Go to VM Settings of the AppVM(s) to which you want to add the new shortcut, then the Applications tab.
Move the newly created shortcut to the right under selected.
If you only want to create a shortcut for a single AppVM, you can create a custom menu entry instead:
1. Open a terminal window to Dom0.
2. Create a custom `.desktop` file in `~/.local/share/applications`.
Look in the same directory for existing examples, or see the full [file specification](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/desktop-entry-spec-latest.html).
You may use `qvm-run` inside the `.desktop` file; see [Behind the scenes](/doc/managing-appvm-shortcuts/#behind-the-scenes) for more details.
3. Edit the `~/.config/menus/applications-merged/<vmname>-vm.menu` file for the AppVM.
4. Add a custom menu entry referring to your newly created `.desktop` file.
`qvm-sync-appmenus` works by invoking *GetAppMenus* [Qubes service](/doc/qrexec/) in the target domain.
This service enumerates installed applications and sends formatted info back to the dom0 script (`/usr/libexec/qubes-appmenus/qubes-receive-appmenus`) which creates .desktop files in the AppVM/TemplateVM directory.
For Linux VMs the service script is in `/etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.GetAppMenus`.
In Windows it's a PowerShell script located in `c:\Program Files\Invisible Things Lab\Qubes OS Windows Tools\qubes-rpc-services\get-appmenus.ps1` by default.
Each menu entry is a file that follows the [.desktop file format](https://standards.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/desktop-entry-spec-latest.html) with some wildcards (*%VMNAME%*, *%VMDIR%*).
Note that you can create a shortcut that points to a .desktop file in your AppVM with e.g. `qvm-run -q -a --service -- personal qubes.StartApp+firefox`
The list of installed applications for each AppVM is stored in dom0's `/var/lib/qubes/vm-templates/<templatename>/apps.templates` (or in case of StandaloneVM: `/var/lib/qubes/appvms/<vmname>/apps.templates`).
Each menu entry is a file that follows the [.desktop file format](https://standards.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/desktop-entry-spec-latest.html) with some wildcards (*%VMNAME%*, *%VMDIR%*).
Note that you can create a shortcut that points to a .desktop file in your AppVM with e.g. `qvm-run -q --tray -a personal -- 'qubes-desktop-run /home/user/application.desktop'`.