How to Create a Launcher or Shortcut for Programs Outside the Software Center on Ubuntu

Do you use programs that are not installed via the Software Center or are not .deb packages?
If yes, you can create launchers (shortcuts) for them to appear in your application menu and Nautilus easily.

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🛠️ Steps

1. Locate the executable file

Make sure you know the exact location of the program's executable or startup script.

2. Open Terminal and create the launcher file as superuser:

sudo gedit /usr/share/applications/yourprogram.desktop

or, if you prefer creating it just for your user:

cd ~/.local/share/applications
gedit yourprogram.desktop

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3. Inside the blank editor, paste the following template:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Program Name
Comment=A brief comment about the program
Exec=/home/username/folderProgram/bin/startupscript.sh
Icon=/home/username/Images/program-icon.png
Terminal=false
Type=Application

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4. Modify the fields with the exact paths and names for your program.

• Name: The display name of your program.
• Comment: A short description.
• Exec: Full path to the executable or startup script.
• Icon: Full path to the icon image.
• Terminal: true if the app requires a terminal; otherwise false.
• Type: Always Application.

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5. Save the file.

Once created, your program will appear in the application menu and you can pin it to your favorites bar.

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📷 Example screenshot: Nautilus showing the program launcher

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👍 That’s all! Enjoy quick access to your apps.

See you next time! 👋

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