How to Make Windows Desktop Shortcut for Specific Browser

Some web applications just work better in certain browsers. If 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 Microsoft Edge. 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
   • Edge : "%windir%\explorer.exe" microsoft-edge: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
     
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 11 as well as Windows 10.