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You might often access your Windows apps by using the relevant shortcut icons. But one day, you click a shortcut icon and see an error message that reads, “The item that this shortcut refers to has been changed or moved.”

What causes this issue, and how do you resolve it? Let’s find out.

What Causes "The Item That this Shortcut Refers to Has Been Changed or Moved" Error?

This error message usually pops up when a shortcut file isn’t able to locate the target app.

Here are the various causes of this issue:

• The target app has been deleted or moved from its original folder.
• Your device has some corrupted third-party apps or malware.
• There are missing or corrupted system files on your PC.
• Some system protection tools (Windows Defender Firewall or antivirus software) are active.

Now, let’s check out how you can resolve this issue.

1. Verify the Target Program's Location

The easiest solution is to ensure that the target program is in its original folder. So, here’s how to verify the location of the target app:

1. Press Win + D to access the desktop. Alternatively, navigate to the folder containing your shortcut file.
2. Right-click on the shortcut file and select Properties. In this example, we’ll take a look at the paint.net shortcut file.
3. Once you're on the Properties window, navigate to the Shortcut tab.
4. Take a look at the file path indicated in the Target box.

In this example, the file path is C:\Program Files\paint.net (the paintdotnet.exe part is the app’s name and not part of the file path).

Check the file path indicated in the "Target" box and ensure that it's correct.

If you’re unsure that the file path is correct, here’s what you can do:

1. Copy the file path indicated on the Target box in the "Shortcut Properties" window. For the "paint.net app" example we've covered, the file path is C:\Program Files\paint.net.
2. Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
3. Paste the file path into File Explorer’s address bar and press Enter. This should take you to the target app's folder.

Now, do you find the target app in the folder?

If the target app is already in the correct folder, then try fixing the issue at hand by applying the other solutions in this article.

If your target app is not in the folder shown on the shortcut file's "Target" box, here’s what you can do:

1. Type the name of the target app in the Start menu search bar. For example, if the app’s name is paint.net, type paint.net in the search bar.
2. Right-click on the Best match and select Open file location.

When you get to the target folder, follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the target app and select Cut.
2. Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
3. Navigate to the folder path indicated on the Target box in the "Shortcut Properties" window. For the "paint.net app" example we've covered, the folder path shown on the Target box is C:\Program Files\paint.net.
4. Right-click on a blank space on the folder and select Paste. This method should now place your target app in the correct folder.
5. Navigate to the desktop or the folder containing the faulty shortcut file. Double-click on the shortcut file and check if the issue has been resolved

2. Repair the Target App

You’ve verified the target app’s location, but you’re still running into issues. In this case, the target app is likely corrupted.

To resolve this problem, repair the app through these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
2. Type appwiz.cpl and press OK to open the Programs and Features window.
3. Select the target program. In this example, we’ll select the paint.net app.
4. Right-click on the app and select Repair.

Alternatively, repair the app through these steps:

1. Press Win + X to open the Quick Access menu.
2. Select Apps and Features from the options.
3. Scroll down and locate the target app. In this example, we’ll focus on the paint.net tool as the target app.
4. Click the target app and then press the Modify button.

3. Reinstall the Target App

Repairing a corrupted app might not always help. So, if the issue persists, you might also consider reinstalling the faulty app.

Here’s how you can properly reinstall a faulty app on Windows:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
2. Type appwiz.cpl and press OK to open the Programs and Features window.
3. Select the target program, right-click on it, and then select Uninstall.
4. Follow the on-screen steps and then restart your device.

From there, download your Windows app from a safe website. Alternatively, if you can't find it, download the app from the Microsoft Store.

The system protection tools (such as the Windows Defender Firewall) often prevent you from running corrupted apps. However, these tools might also prevent you from running apps that aren’t problematic.

So, there are chances that these tools might be the reason you’re unable to run your app. In this case, temporarily disabling these tools could help.

In this article, we'll focus on disabling the Windows Defender Firewall. Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Type Windows Defender Firewall in the Start menu search bar and select the Best match.
2. Click the Turn Windows Defender Firewall on and off option.
3. Select the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall option on the Domain network settings, Private network settings, and Public network settings.
4. Finally, press OK and then restart your device.

If you have a third-party antivirus program installed, you should consider temporarily disabling it too. From there, check if the issue is resolved.

5. Perform a Check Disk Scan

In some instances, the issue is likely caused by malware or corrupted system files. To resolve the problem, you could scan and repair those issues using the Check Disk (CHKDSK) tool.

So, here’s how you can run a CHKDSK scan on your device:

1. Type Command Prompt in the Start menu search bar.
2. Right-click on the Best match result and select Run as administrator.
3. Type the following command and press Enter to run a Check Disk scan:

chkdsk C: /f

If you want to scan a different drive, replace the C: command with the letter of the relevant drive. Finally, wait for the process to complete and then restart your PC.

6. Create a New Shortcut File

Still can’t resolve the issue? Maybe the issue lies with the shortcut file itself.

So, an easy way out is to delete the old shortcut file and create a new one.

Here’s how to create a shortcut file for your target app:

1. Press Win + D to access the desktop. Alternatively, try the various ways to access the Windows desktop.
2. Right-click on a blank space and select New > Shortcut.
3. Press the Browse button and search for an app.
4. Click the target app and then click the OK button. From there, press Next.
5. Finally, fill in the Type a name for this shortcut box and then press the Finish button.

Easily Access Your Favorite Apps Once Again

Windows’ shortcut icons make your apps easily accessible. The best part is that it’s pretty easy to create the shortcut files. However, it’s frustrating when your shortcut icons suddenly malfunction. But if you run into “shortcut icon” issues, the methods we’ve covered should help.

And while we're discussing shortcuts, did you know you can customize your shortcuts on Windows 10 and 11?