How to create a desktop shortcut to a Windows 8 Modern UI app?

I am using Windows 8 at the moment and I was wondering if there is a way to make a shortcut to a Modern UI (formerly known as Metro UI) application on my desktop.

As far as I know, there's no built-in way to do this. For the apps that come with Windows 8, you can use MetroApp Link; official website (in Italian) here. It doesn't currently support apps downloaded through the Store, though.

All Modern UI apps have a URL protocol associated with them which can be used to launch the app.
You can find find the protocol for a specific app like this:

1. Press Windows+R
2. Type regedit
3. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Extensions\ContractId\Windows.Protocol\PackageId
4. Find the subkey for your app (eg, AMZNMobileLLC.KindleforWindows8_1.1.0.0_neutral__stfe6vwa9jnbp)
5. Within that subkey, go to ActivatableClassId_some long name_\CustomProperties
6. The Name value will tell you the protocol name.

You can then make a shortcut to name://. (eg, kindle://)

Getting an icon is a little harder.
In the subkey directly under ActivatableClassId, you'll find a value named Icon, in the format @{AppIdentifier?ms-resource://AppName/Files/path/to/icon.png}. You'll find a PNG icon in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\AppIdentifier\path/to/icon.png.
However, you'll need to convert this PNG to an ICO file to use in a shortcut.

1. Right click on your Desktop and select new->shortcut.
2. When the dialog window opens enter %windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1} and name your application appropriately.
3. Click on the icon your created and launch the Applications window.
4. Select the Metro application to use.

Ref: http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/32777-Launch-Metro-Apps-Directly-from-Desktop

I have found out a solution myself and want to make the answer here to be complete. It's done by a piece of codes of C# and PowerShell by Tome Tanasovski posted at http://poshcode.org/3740 .

You don't have to understand the codes well to have it worked. The good thing is that I don't need to download some 3rd exe and it's programmable so that I can open up the calculator and PDF viewer with just a single hot key.

1. Open up PowerShell command box, and simply paste all codes copied from the link above.

2. Run

   Get-metroApp

3. A list of AppUserModelId of some guessable app name is listed. E.g., I'm looking for Calculator. The AppUserModelId is "Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App". In the PowerShell command box, run

   start-metroApp Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App

Of course you won't like to invoke Calculator again like this. You can save the commands (not all of them, e.g., the part of function get-metroApp is not needed) to a .ps1 . A shortcut to this .ps1 can then be created to execute it. Finally, placing this shortcut to the start menu folder allows you to assign a hot-key for your app.