How to create a desktop shortcut that opens Firefox to a specified URL?

January 28th, 2007

I have created a shortcut on the desktop for my son to access his favorite website. The problem is that Windows is not opening Firefox like it is supposed to. Upon double-clicking the shortcut, Windows informs me that there is no program associated with the file. I have gone into “Folder Options -> File Types” and associated .url extension with the command line that opens Firefox. Am I missing something?

All I want to do, ultimately, is to create an icon on my desktop that my son can click on to get to his favorite website.
- Mike

Follow the following steps:-

  1. Click on the Start button and navigate to the place in the Start menu that has Firefox. But instead of clicking on it, hold down CTRL and drag the Firefox onto your desktop. This will create a shortcut to Firefox.
  2. Test the shortcut by double clicking on it. It will bring you to the normal default start page in Firefox. Close Firefox.
  3. Now right click on the shortcut and select Properties. One of the properties is the “target” which will end with firefox.exe”
  4. Add a space after this, then put the URL that you want to go to in Firefox, for example http://www.jkg.in/
  5. Click OK to end the properties window and test the shortcut.
Filed in Ask Jayant, Windows Vista

2 Responses to “How to create a desktop shortcut that opens Firefox to a specified URL?”

  1. Jonathan Says:
    February 19th, 2008 at 8:22 am

    This works for me, but it’s weird! When I simply drag the icon in the address bar to my desktop, it’ll make a shortcut named .URL and when I open it, Firefox opens the page from my cache - I see the address is local. But your way makes it work right.

  2. John Says:
    December 16th, 2008 at 2:46 pm

    I have tried many of the “Internet Blog” solutions, but this is the first one that works with Firefox!

    THANKS!

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