Solved Is there a type of file that contains a single URL?

[Foebane]

Is there a way of getting a URL put into a text file and changing the extension so it acts as a link to a web browser? If I recall, Internet Explorer used to store URLs in individual files, but I don't know if this is still the case. Can you help me?

 

[Alejandro85]

It still works that way up to this day. Each favorite is in fact a separate file and those are just plain text files with the .url extension. When launching them on their own, they open the default browser with the address indicated within them.
Their content is trivial to understand:

[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://www.google.com

Just that suffices. They must be named with a .url extension for them to work, doable with notepad.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Is there a way of getting a URL put into a text file and changing the extension so it acts as a link to a web browser? If I recall, Internet Explorer used to store URLs in individual files, but I don't know if this is still the case. Can you help me?

Could you tell us more about what you are trying to do?

If you have IE's favorites bar showing, then dragging/dropping URLs to that bar will create a URL shortcut that is a bit more complex than the two lines Alejandro85 mentioned. (Not that you need the extra stuff.) If you drag/drop a URL to your Desktop (or other folder), that should create an even more complex text file. Those text files have an extension of website. Unfortunately, those shortcuts might not work well with other browsers.

 

[Foebane]

I just found out about the URL thing myself, Alejandro85 - thanks.

 

[cyclops]

I just keep a word document with hyperlinks for things that I want to share or access later. Creating a hyperlink is really easy and you can hide the url and have it display as text you choose. You can create the hyperlink in an email also.
[FONT=&quot]Windows 10 for Dummies

That is a hyperlink. Hold down ctrl and click on the Windows for Dummies text and it will open the link in your browser.[/FONT]

 

[Ztruker]

I find the easiest way to create a link to a network location is to right click on the Desktop or in the folder you want it in then
select New shortcut.

Paste or type the URL then click Next. Type in the name you want for the shortcut then click Finish.

That's all there is to it.

 

[cyclops]

Hey Ztruker, I am pretty sure he wants a line of text to be clickable to link directly, not a folder or desktop shortcut. That won't work if you send it to someone in an email, in a document or as an attachment. The reason that won't work is that the shortcut is a reference to a location on the computer where it was created.
That is why I use
hyperlinks.

click on the word hyperlink above here.

 

[Ztruker]

Is there a way of getting a URL put into a text file and changing the extension so it acts as a link to a web browser? If I recall, Internet Explorer used to store URLs in individual files, but I don't know if this is still the case. Can you help me?

Can you explain more exactly what you mean? We're answering questions you may not be asking.

 

[RolandJS]

I like this idea!

[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://www.google.com

saved as a template that metapad, notepad, wordpad can edit and save with a new name, extension with .url
That file should be able to travel and be used by anyone anywhere.
I think the earlier poster who posted the two-line answered the OP's question.

 

[UsernameIssues]

I like this idea!

[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://www.google.com

saved as a template that metapad, notepad, wordpad can edit and save with a new name, extension with .url
That file should be able to travel and be used by anyone anywhere.
I think the earlier poster who posted the two-line answered the OP's question.

If you used IE (which the OP does), then the files created by saving a favorite the normal way can "travel and be used by anyone anywhere". I'm still wondering what the OP is doing.