This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Desktop shortcut icons have been changed to actual files on desktop.

George Sinkinson
George Sinkinson
more options

I'm running Windows 10 Home 21H2 and Firefox 96.0.2.

Former Firefox shortcuts have been changed to actual files with a .url extention on the desktop.

For example, a shortcut named Sinkinson Ancestry became Sinkinson Ancestry.com.url My Chrome shortcuts are unaffected (see attached images)

I'm running Windows 10 Home 21H2 and Firefox 96.0.2. Former Firefox shortcuts have been changed to actual files with a .url extention on the desktop. For example, a shortcut named Sinkinson Ancestry became Sinkinson Ancestry.com.url My Chrome shortcuts are unaffected (see attached images)
Attached screenshots

All Replies (2)

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Maybe because Firefox is currently the default browser. A internet shortcut (.url) always opens the default browser. The Google Chrome shortcut opens Google Chrome with the page specified via the target line. You can create such a desktop shortcut yourself as well via a copy of the Firefox desktop shortcut and modify its target line.

George Sinkinson
George Sinkinson Question owner
more options

cor-el

Thank you for your note.

Any idea why shortcuts on my desktop turned into .url files? I must have touched something but haven't got any idea of what.

Some of the .url files were in a folder and shortcuts to them were all that were on the desktop.

I even ran the DISM series and sfc /scannow. No corruption or problems there.

I can rebuild shortcuts but would like to understand and avoid the problem in the future.