diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/AllAppsSettings.cs b/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/AllAppsSettings.cs
index bf326221f9..1ec7fd48b0 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/AllAppsSettings.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/AllAppsSettings.cs
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ public class AllAppsSettings : JsonSettingsManager, ISettingsInterface
 
     public bool EnablePathEnvironmentVariableSource => _enablePathEnvironmentVariableSource.Value;
 
+    public bool HideGenericFilesOnDesktop => _hideGenericFilesOnDesktop.Value;
+
+    public bool HideGenericFilesInStartMenu => _hideGenericFilesInStartMenu.Value;
+
     private readonly ChoiceSetSetting _searchResultLimitSource = new(
         Namespaced(nameof(SearchResultLimit)),
         Resources.limit_fallback_results_source,
@@ -80,6 +84,18 @@ public class AllAppsSettings : JsonSettingsManager, ISettingsInterface
         string.Empty,
         false); // this one is very VERY noisy
 
+    private readonly ToggleSetting _hideGenericFilesOnDesktop = new(
+        Namespaced(nameof(HideGenericFilesOnDesktop)),
+        "    " + Resources.hide_generic_files_on_desktop,
+        string.Empty,
+        true);
+
+    private readonly ToggleSetting _hideGenericFilesInStartMenu = new(
+        Namespaced(nameof(HideGenericFilesInStartMenu)),
+        "    " + Resources.hide_generic_files_in_start_menu,
+        string.Empty,
+        false);
+
     public double MinScoreThreshold { get; set; } = 0.75;
 
     internal const char SuffixSeparator = ';';
@@ -98,7 +114,9 @@ public class AllAppsSettings : JsonSettingsManager, ISettingsInterface
         FilePath = SettingsJsonPath();
 
         Settings.Add(_enableStartMenuSource);
+        Settings.Add(_hideGenericFilesInStartMenu);
         Settings.Add(_enableDesktopSource);
+        Settings.Add(_hideGenericFilesOnDesktop);
         Settings.Add(_enableRegistrySource);
         Settings.Add(_enablePathEnvironmentVariableSource);
         Settings.Add(_searchResultLimitSource);
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Programs/Win32Program.cs b/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Programs/Win32Program.cs
index 1de01b408e..3512de5921 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Programs/Win32Program.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Programs/Win32Program.cs
@@ -409,9 +409,37 @@ public class Win32Program : IProgram
                         program.Description = info.FileDescription;
                     }
                 }
+
+                if (program.AppType is ApplicationType.GenericFile or ApplicationType.Folder)
+                {
+                    var hideNonAppsOnDesktop = AllAppsSettings.Instance.HideGenericFilesOnDesktop;
+                    var hideNonAppsInStartMenu = AllAppsSettings.Instance.HideGenericFilesInStartMenu;
+
+                    var lnk = program.LnkFilePath;
+                    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(lnk))
+                    {
+                        var isDesktop = StartsWithFolder(lnk, Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop) ||
+                                        StartsWithFolder(lnk, Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonDesktopDirectory);
+
+                        var isStartMenu = StartsWithFolder(lnk, Environment.SpecialFolder.StartMenu) ||
+                                          StartsWithFolder(lnk, Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonStartMenu);
+
+                        if ((isDesktop && hideNonAppsOnDesktop) || (isStartMenu && hideNonAppsInStartMenu))
+                        {
+                            program.Enabled = false;
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
             }
 
             return program;
+
+            static bool StartsWithFolder(string path, Environment.SpecialFolder folder)
+            {
+                var folderPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(folder);
+                return !string.IsNullOrEmpty(folderPath)
+                       && path.StartsWith(folderPath, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+            }
         }
         catch (System.IO.FileLoadException e)
         {
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Properties/Resources.Designer.cs b/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Properties/Resources.Designer.cs
index 9fdf833b0a..7d51108ba8 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Properties/Resources.Designer.cs
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Properties/Resources.Designer.cs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps.Properties {
     // class via a tool like ResGen or Visual Studio.
     // To add or remove a member, edit your .ResX file then rerun ResGen
     // with the /str option, or rebuild your VS project.
-    [global::System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.Resources.Tools.StronglyTypedResourceBuilder", "17.0.0.0")]
+    [global::System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("System.Resources.Tools.StronglyTypedResourceBuilder", "18.0.0.0")]
     [global::System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute()]
     [global::System.Runtime.CompilerServices.CompilerGeneratedAttribute()]
     internal class Resources {
@@ -141,6 +141,24 @@ namespace Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps.Properties {
             }
         }
         
+        /// <summary>
+        ///   Looks up a localized string similar to Hide shortcuts to non-executable files in Start menu.
+        /// </summary>
+        internal static string hide_generic_files_in_start_menu {
+            get {
+                return ResourceManager.GetString("hide_generic_files_in_start_menu", resourceCulture);
+            }
+        }
+        
+        /// <summary>
+        ///   Looks up a localized string similar to Hide shortcuts to non-executable files on Desktop.
+        /// </summary>
+        internal static string hide_generic_files_on_desktop {
+            get {
+                return ResourceManager.GetString("hide_generic_files_on_desktop", resourceCulture);
+            }
+        }
+        
         /// <summary>
         ///   Looks up a localized string similar to Installed apps.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Properties/Resources.resx b/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Properties/Resources.resx
index 758c61e20f..52aba3fb4d 100644
--- a/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Properties/Resources.resx
+++ b/src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.Apps/Properties/Resources.resx
@@ -234,4 +234,10 @@
   <data name="limit_none" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Unlimited</value>
   </data>
+  <data name="hide_generic_files_on_desktop" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Hide shortcuts to non-executable files on Desktop</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="hide_generic_files_in_start_menu" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Hide shortcuts to non-executable files in Start menu</value>
+  </data>
 </root>
\ No newline at end of file