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:
- Right-click a blank area of the desktop and select “New” > “Shortcut“.
- 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
- Provide the name for the shortcut. You will probably want to use the name of the website in most cases.
- Select “Next“.
- 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.
Dennis says
But the Windows 10 Start Menu only supports ONE shortcut to the same .EXE. So you get erratic behaviour if you create multiple shortcuts to the same .EXE, i.e. MSEdge.exe, chrome.exe, with different added URLs.
Phil 1957 says
I keep getting this with chrome to any websites ,
“This site can’t be reachedxn--https-hw3b’s server IP address could not be found.”
Tried adding the DNS server address and resetting network settings but nothing seems to work
King Wa says
It worked. Thank You!!!!
Dan L says
It worked! Very helpful, thanks for your help!
Nik says
“C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe”
is a right shortcut for IE11 – Windows 10×64
CDV says
Thank you!!
Raj says
You rock!! worked. Thank you for the tip
Clever Acronym says
Works perfectly on Windows 10. Thanks!
aa says
I was able to make the shortcut but it does not link to the correct website, only the browser home screen.
Mike says
Try replace the ” ” , they ended up wrong on my character set.
Brianna Brixius says
I kept getting an error too, but the trick for me was to delete the (x86) !
Brian Foster says
Is it possible to set a desktop icon so it opens a web page like a popup window which I can then resize more easily if I need to.
I’ve searched on Google but they keep taking about “maximising” the screen size when I need the opposite.
Any help would be much appreciated even if it is not possible!
Ostrich says
Also, if you get the “The file C:\ “C:\Program cannot be found” error, try checking the path to your Mozilla Firefox folder where firefox.exe executable lies.
Mine was not in Program Files (x86), but rather Program Files so when I copied and pasted from the above, it returned this error. Once I noticed and changed the path, it behaved as the article details/\
kevin says
pasting it in notepad worked, thanks ADA
steve says
Forget all the above. Once you past or type in the URL location or path, right in the same
box (to edit if not in edit mode already) you can use arrow keys to move left and delete the extra ‘C:\’ right there. You don’t have to past it first in to notes etc. Or, after you past or type the url or path (which may still have the bad extra ‘c:\’) simply say done. Then right click the new shortcut icon and select properities and edit out the bad extra ‘c:\’ right there in the properities window. save and done, and it works.
Billy Dean says
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.
Ada says
Does not work for me. It auto-inserts C:\ in front of the location and says “The file C:\ “C:\Program cannot be found.”
George says
@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.
Sully Cortez says
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.
Dayle says
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?
Unknown says
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”
Ivy Colon says
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!
David Neilsen says
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.”
Joe says
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.
Mitch Bartlett says
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.
Jim says
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.
Mitch Bartlett says
Be sure to use quotation marks as I have specified before the C: and after the name of the browser executable.
Greg Buck says
Does not work for me. It auto-inserts C:\ in front of the location and says “The file C:\ “C:\Program cannot be found.”
Ozzie says
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!
Oliver Kirchhoff says
Great tip! This fixes the problem of Google Earth not being supported in my main browser Firefox Quantum.
Javier says
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.
Roland says
Any tips on opening two tabs with one shortcut?
Robert L. says
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.
Mitch Bartlett says
Yay! I’m glad it worked for you.
Christa says
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!