Android create shortcuts on the home screen

The example code uses undocumented interfaces (permission and intent) to install a shortcut. As "someone" told you, this may not work on all phones, and may break in future Android releases. Don't do it.

The correct way is to listen for a shortcut request from the home screen-- with an intent filter like so in your manifest:

<activity android:name=".ShortCutActivity" android:label="@string/shortcut_label">
  <intent-filter>
    <action android:name="android.intent.action.CREATE_SHORTCUT" />
    <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
  </intent-filter>
</activity>

Then in the activity that receives the intent, you create an intent for your shortcut and return it as the activity result.

// create shortcut if requested
ShortcutIconResource icon =
    Intent.ShortcutIconResource.fromContext(this, R.drawable.icon);

Intent intent = new Intent();

Intent launchIntent = new Intent(this,ActivityToLaunch.class);

intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, launchIntent);
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, someNickname());
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_ICON_RESOURCE, icon);

setResult(RESULT_OK, intent);

I have developed one method below for creating the shortcut icon on android Homescreen [Tested on my own app]. Just call it.

private void ShortcutIcon(){

    Intent shortcutIntent = new Intent(getApplicationContext(), MainActivity.class);
    shortcutIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
    shortcutIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);

    Intent addIntent = new Intent();
    addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, shortcutIntent);
    addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, "Test");
    addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_ICON_RESOURCE, Intent.ShortcutIconResource.fromContext(getApplicationContext(), R.drawable.ic_launcher));
    addIntent.setAction("com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT");
    getApplicationContext().sendBroadcast(addIntent);
}

Don't forget to change your activity name, icon resource & permission.

<uses-permission android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.INSTALL_SHORTCUT" />

Happy coding !!!

Edit:

For Duplicate Issue, First Option is to add below line in the code otherwise it creates new one every time.

addIntent.putExtra("duplicate", false);

Second Option is to First uninstall The App Shortcut Icon and then Install It Again If the First Option Didn't Work.

The com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT broadcast no longer has any effect since android oreo. LINK

If you want to support all android versions, especially android 8.0 or oreo and newer, use the code below to create shortcut:

public static void addShortcutToHomeScreen(Context context)
{
    if (ShortcutManagerCompat.isRequestPinShortcutSupported(context))
    {
        ShortcutInfoCompat shortcutInfo = new ShortcutInfoCompat.Builder(context, "#1")
                .setIntent(new Intent(context, YourActivity.class).setAction(Intent.ACTION_MAIN)) // !!! intent's action must be set on oreo
                .setShortLabel("Test")
                .setIcon(IconCompat.createWithResource(context, R.drawable.ic_launcher))
                .build();
        ShortcutManagerCompat.requestPinShortcut(context, shortcutInfo, null);
    }
    else
    {
        // Shortcut is not supported by your launcher
    }
}

Add permission in manifest file:

<uses-permission android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.INSTALL_SHORTCUT"/>