diff --git a/backend/FwLite/FwLiteDesktop/FwLiteDesktopKernel.cs b/backend/FwLite/FwLiteDesktop/FwLiteDesktopKernel.cs
index 2d60edfc2..b3bcda673 100644
--- a/backend/FwLite/FwLiteDesktop/FwLiteDesktopKernel.cs
+++ b/backend/FwLite/FwLiteDesktop/FwLiteDesktopKernel.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-using Windows.ApplicationModel;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
+using Windows.ApplicationModel;
 using FwLiteDesktop.ServerBridge;
 using FwLiteShared.Auth;
 using LcmCrdt;
@@ -44,9 +45,17 @@ public static void AddFwLiteDesktopServices(this IServiceCollection services,
         services.AddSingleton<IMauiInitializeService>(_ => _.GetRequiredService<ServerManager>());
         services.AddHttpClient();
         if (IsPackagedApp)
+        {
             services.AddSingleton<IMauiInitializeService, AppUpdateService>();
+            if (RuntimeInformation.IsOSPlatform(OSPlatform.Windows))
+            {
+                services.AddSingleton<IMauiInitializeService, WindowsShortcutService>();
+            }
+        }
+
         services.AddSingleton<IHostEnvironment>(_ => _.GetRequiredService<ServerManager>().WebServices.GetRequiredService<IHostEnvironment>());
         services.AddSingleton<IPreferences>(Preferences.Default);
+        services.AddSingleton<IVersionTracking>(VersionTracking.Default);
         configuration.Add<ServerConfigSource>(source => source.ServerManager = serverManager);
         services.AddOptions<LocalWebAppConfig>().BindConfiguration("LocalWebApp");
         logging.AddFile(Path.Combine(baseDataPath, "app.log"));
diff --git a/backend/FwLite/FwLiteDesktop/MauiProgram.cs b/backend/FwLite/FwLiteDesktop/MauiProgram.cs
index ef91d179f..c04d4ede1 100644
--- a/backend/FwLite/FwLiteDesktop/MauiProgram.cs
+++ b/backend/FwLite/FwLiteDesktop/MauiProgram.cs
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ public static MauiApp CreateMauiApp()
                 fonts.AddFont("OpenSans-Regular.ttf", "OpenSansRegular");
                 fonts.AddFont("OpenSans-Semibold.ttf", "OpenSansSemibold");
             });
+        builder.ConfigureEssentials(essentialsBuilder =>
+        {
+            essentialsBuilder.UseVersionTracking();
+        });
         builder.ConfigureLifecycleEvents(events => events.AddWindows(windowsEvents =>
         {
             windowsEvents.OnClosed((window, args) =>
diff --git a/backend/FwLite/FwLiteDesktop/WindowsShortcutService.cs b/backend/FwLite/FwLiteDesktop/WindowsShortcutService.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b2c855186
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/FwLite/FwLiteDesktop/WindowsShortcutService.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes;
+using System.Text;
+using Windows.ApplicationModel;
+
+namespace FwLiteDesktop;
+
+public class WindowsShortcutService(IVersionTracking versionTracking) : IMauiInitializeService
+{
+    public void Initialize(IServiceProvider services)
+    {
+        if (!FwLiteDesktopKernel.IsPackagedApp || !versionTracking.IsFirstLaunchEver || !RuntimeInformation.IsOSPlatform(OSPlatform.Windows)) return;
+        var package = Package.Current;
+        IShellLink link = (IShellLink)new ShellLink();
+        link.SetPath($@"shell:AppsFolder\{package.Id.FamilyName}!App");
+        link.SetIconLocation(Path.Combine(package.InstalledLocation.Path, "logo_light.ico"), 0);
+        var file = (IPersistFile)link;
+        file.Save(Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop), "Fieldworks Lite.lnk"),
+            false);
+    }
+
+
+    [ComImport]
+    [Guid("00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")]
+    internal class ShellLink
+    {
+    }
+
+    [ComImport]
+    [InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
+    [Guid("000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")]
+    internal interface IShellLink
+    {
+        void GetPath([Out, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszFile,
+            int cchMaxPath,
+            out IntPtr pfd,
+            int fFlags);
+
+        void GetIDList(out IntPtr ppidl);
+        void SetIDList(IntPtr pidl);
+        void GetDescription([Out, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszName, int cchMaxName);
+        void SetDescription([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszName);
+        void GetWorkingDirectory([Out, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszDir, int cchMaxPath);
+        void SetWorkingDirectory([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszDir);
+        void GetArguments([Out, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszArgs, int cchMaxPath);
+        void SetArguments([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszArgs);
+        void GetHotkey(out short pwHotkey);
+        void SetHotkey(short wHotkey);
+        void GetShowCmd(out int piShowCmd);
+        void SetShowCmd(int iShowCmd);
+
+        void GetIconLocation([Out, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszIconPath,
+            int cchIconPath,
+            out int piIcon);
+
+        void SetIconLocation([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszIconPath, int iIcon);
+        void SetRelativePath([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszPathRel, int dwReserved);
+        void Resolve(IntPtr hwnd, int fFlags);
+        void SetPath([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszFile);
+    }
+}