What is a .URL file?
A .URL file is a type of shortcut file that directs your computer to a specific web address or Uniform Resource Locator (URL). When you double-click on a .URL file, it will open the web address it points to using your default web browser. These files often link to websites using "https:" addresses, but they can also link to email addresses using "mailto:", telephone numbers using "tel:", local files using "file:", and other types of URLs.
### How to Open a .URL File: - **On a Windows PC**: Simply double-click the .URL file. It will open in your default web browser or the associated application. You can also open .URL files using any text editor like Microsoft Notepad (included with Windows) to view or edit the URL. - **On a Mac**: Double-clicking a .URL file should open it in your default web browser. You can also use Apple TextEdit (included with macOS) to open and edit the file. - **On Android devices**: Specific apps like Zapek Software Engineering's stuntzurl can be used to manage and open .URL files. - **Using Text Editors**: You can open .URL files with any text editor (like Vim) to see the plain text content, which typically includes a line formatted as `[InternetShortcut] URL=URL Address`. For example, a .URL file for an email might look like this: `[InternetShortcut] URL=mailto:info@domain.com`.
### Creating a .URL File: - **In Windows**: You can create a .URL file by dragging a web address from your browser directly to your desktop. This creates a shortcut that you can click to quickly access the webpage. - **Note**: Unlike Windows, dragging a web address to the desktop on a Mac creates a .WEBLOC file instead of a .URL file.
### Additional Information: - A .URL file can also specify an icon file (.ICO). If an icon path is included, this icon will replace the default icon for the .URL file, customizing the appearance of the shortcut. - **Important**: Windows typically hides the ".url" extension, just as it hides the ".lnk" extension for shortcut files.
This simple structure and functionality make .URL files a convenient way to create shortcuts to internet resources, enhancing your productivity by providing quick access to frequently used web pages and other resources.
Verification
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