You should use this Launch overload: ApplicationUnderTest.Launch Method (ProcessStartInfo). It allows you to specify exactly how you want to launch the application under test.

Just make sure you set UseShellExecute to true somewhow because links and shortcuts are shell (explorer) objects that cannot be started like normal exes.

When you use the operating system shell to start processes, you can start any document (which is any registered file type associated with an executable that has a default open action) and perform operations on the file, such as printing, by using the Process object. When UseShellExecute is false, you can start only executables by using the Process object.

It may work just using the simple ProcessStartInfo constructor with the path as parameter, depending on your context.