In a virtual environment, a virtual machine (VM) host creates and displays one or more application shortcuts in the VM host. An application shortcut correlates to a software application that is installed in a VM guest. When the VM host receives an execution command for the application shortcut from the VM host, the VM host establishes a connection channel between the VM host and the VM guest and transmits a launch request to the VM guest via the connection channel. The VM guest launches the software application in response to the launch request.