What an internet shortcut is and why you'd make one

An internet shortcut is a small file that opens a website directly when you click it — like a bookmark, but one that lives on your desktop or in a folder instead of inside your browser. When you double-click it, your default browser opens and takes you straight to that web address.

You might create one to avoid typing a long URL, to keep a frequently-used site visible on your desktop, or to organize links by project or topic in a folder. They're especially useful if you share a computer with others and want quick access to your own set of sites without cluttering your browser's bookmark bar.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, right-click your desktop, select "New," then "Shortcut," and paste the web address into the location field.
  • On Mac, drag a website's address from your browser's address bar directly onto your desktop or a folder.
  • You can rename the shortcut file to anything you want — the name doesn't have to match the website's name.
  • Internet shortcuts are just text files that point to a URL; they don't store the website itself or take up meaningful storage space.

Creating a shortcut on Windows

Right-click on an empty area of your desktop. A menu will appear. Select "New," then click "Shortcut" from the submenu.

A window titled "Create Shortcut" will open. It asks you to "Enter the location of the item." Paste or type the full web address — for example, https://www.example.com — into the text field. Click "Next."

The next screen asks you to name the shortcut. Type whatever you want — "My Bank," "Project Notes," "Recipe Site" — anything that makes sense to you. Click "Finish." The shortcut now appears on your desktop as a small icon with a chain-link symbol.

If you want the shortcut in a folder instead of on your desktop, navigate to that folder first, right-click inside it, and follow the same steps. The shortcut will be created there instead.

Creating a shortcut on Mac

Open your web browser and navigate to the website you want to shortcut. Click on the address bar at the top of the browser window to highlight the full web address.

Drag the address directly from the address bar onto your desktop. A file will appear on your desktop with the website's name. If you want to rename it, right-click the file, select "Rename," and type a new name.

You can also drag the address into a folder instead of onto the desktop. Open the folder first, then drag the address into it the same way.

Organizing shortcuts in folders

If you create many shortcuts, keeping them all on your desktop gets cluttered. Instead, create a folder to hold them. On Windows, right-click your desktop, select "New," then "Folder," and name it something like "Website Shortcuts." On Mac, right-click your desktop and select "New Folder."

Then create your shortcuts inside that folder using the steps above. You can create multiple folders — one for work sites, one for personal projects, one for reference materials — and organize them however makes sense for how you work.

Editing or deleting shortcuts

To change where a shortcut points, right-click it and select "Properties" (Windows) or "Get Info" (Mac). Find the "Target" field (Windows) or "URL" field (Mac) and edit the web address. Click "Apply" or "OK" to save the change.

To delete a shortcut, right-click it and select "Delete." This removes only the shortcut file, not the website itself — nothing on the internet is affected.

You can also rename a shortcut at any time by right-clicking it, selecting "Rename," and typing a new name. The website it points to stays the same; only the label changes.

Shortcuts versus bookmarks: when to use each

Bookmarks live inside your browser and sync across devices if you use the same browser account on multiple computers. Shortcuts are files on your specific computer and don't sync automatically.

Use shortcuts when you want a site visible without opening your browser, when you want to organize links by project in folders on your computer, or when you want quick access without navigating your browser's menu. Use bookmarks when you want the same links available on your phone, tablet, and other computers, or when you want to keep your desktop clean.

Many people use both: bookmarks for everyday browsing, and shortcuts for sites they return to constantly or want to keep organized by topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move a shortcut to a different folder?

Yes. Drag the shortcut file to the new folder, or cut and paste it. The shortcut will work the same way in any location on your computer.

What happens if the website changes its address?

The shortcut will stop working and show an error when you click it. You'll need to edit the shortcut's target URL to point to the new address, or delete it and create a new one.

Can I create a shortcut to a specific page deep inside a website?

Yes. Use the full address of that specific page — for example, https://www.example.com/articles/how-to-bake — instead of just the homepage. The shortcut will open directly to that page.

Do shortcuts take up a lot of storage space?

No. A shortcut is just a tiny text file containing a web address. It uses almost no storage and doesn't store any of the website's content itself.