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How to Make Windows Desktop Shortcut for Specific Browser

How to Make Windows Desktop Shortcut for Specific Browser

Posted on by 20 Comments

So you have Microsoft Windows set to use Chrome as your default browser, but you want to use a desktop shortcut to open a specific site in IE. Or maybe another website icon that will only work in Firefox. Creating a shortcut to a web document won’t work. However, you can open a URL using a shortcut to a non-default browser using these steps:

  1. Right-click a blank area of the desktop and select “New” > “Shortcut“.
  2. For the location, type the path to the browser you wish to use followed by the URL you wish to open. For example:
    • Chrome: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe” https://technipages.com
    • IE: “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe” https://technipages.com
    • Firefox: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe” https://technipages.com
      Example of a shortcut that points directly to a specific browser and website.
  3. Provide the name for the shortcut. You will probably want to use the name of the website in most cases.
  4. Select “Next“.
  5. Select “Finish“.

Now you have a shortcut that will open the website in a specific web browser, no matter what the default browser is set to in Windows.

I have tested this thoroughly and it works in Windows 7 as well as Windows 10.

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Comments

  1. I’ve been using this technique to start Firefox (not currently my default browser) from desktop shortcuts to websites I regularly login to because IE will not save my login info. Probably something to do with Windows 10 and it’s updates.

    Today I had problems creating a shortcut to launch Firefox with a local HTML file. Finally discovered that Firefox didn’t like the name of the HTML file because it had a space between parts of the name. Replaced the space with a dash and Voila!

    Thought maybe this would help others who want to leave IE as their default browser but need Firefox for holding login info.

  2. Does not work for me. It auto-inserts C:\ in front of the location and says “The file C:\ “C:\Program cannot be found.”

  3. @Dayle,

    To open in chrome as it’s own window, you should use the “Create shortcut” option under the More Tools menu in Chrome. Check the “Open in Window” checkbox and the shortcut will receive a dedicated window.

  4. Ok everyone I’ll save you a lot of frustration if you haven’t figured this out yet, but you MUST first paste the text string into notepad THEN recopy the text string. There seems to be some sort of hidden text either before or after the characters if you try to direct copy and paste. Just past into notepade, delete any space after or before the EXACT text (for example make sure it’s like this: “C:\Program Files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe” http://www.google.com
    and it should work fine.

  5. This definitely works. What I would like to have it also do is to open that link in its own browser window and not another chrome tab. Is that possible?

  6. For anyone getting the “The file C:\ “C:\Program cannot be found.” error, you need to put quotes on the URL also.

    For example: “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe” “https://technipages.com”

  7. Whoo Hoo it worked.

    At first, it gave the same error that Greg and David reported, but then I just Browsed (the long way) to the .exe for the browser I need and added the required URL afterward.

    This will save me so much time.
    thank you!

  8. As Greg Buck says on September 18, 2018 at 2:48 pm

    Does not work for me. It auto-inserts C:\ in front of the location and says “The file C:\ “C:\Program cannot be found.”

  9. Thanks!
    Another option is to pin the page link to the browser icon on your task bar.
    Right click on the browser icon. Click the Pin on the right side of a recently viewed page.

  10. I don’t think it’s possible to set a specific browser for Outlook links. Chrome would have to be set as the default, then you could set every other icon to open to a specific browser.

  11. This didn’t work how I had hoped. It creates a desktop shortcut to the website only. I am looking for a different solution.

    At work we have three browsers: IE, Chrome, Firefox. IE is set as default becasue many of the web tools we use only work properly in IE. However, the version of WebEx we use only works properly in Chrome. I want to be able to set something so that when I click a link in Outlook that contains a webex.com link it opens in Chrome.

  13. Does not work for me. It auto-inserts C:\ in front of the location and says “The file C:\ “C:\Program cannot be found.”

  14. OMG! Thank You Very Much!
    My computer is a Vista x32 – and I got this method to work with SeaMonkey and Pale Moon!
    My default browser is FireFox 3.6 – LOL
    I’ve been trying, for years, to figure out how to do this.
    Thanks Again – You’re the Best!

  15. Great tip! This fixes the problem of Google Earth not being supported in my main browser Firefox Quantum.

  16. Definitely helped Mitch, thank you !
    In my case I use mostly Firefox for work reasons, so having a shortcut to files in Google drive (also for reasons) is tremendously helpful.

  18. Sweet! Worked for me. Thanks! Now I can avoid opening IE to start up another program. IE flashes up in the background momentarily, then goes away, and the other app fires up.

  20. Thank you!! Trying to have a login page open in Chrome (default browser is Explorer). Tried using other methods and kept getting “Illegal Institution” error message. This method worked!

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