When browsing the internet, we often come across interesting articles, websites, or even videos that we want to save for later. One common way to save these links is by bookmarking them in our web browser. However, did you know that you can also create a Windows shortcut that accepts hyperlinks dragged and dropped from a browser? This can be a convenient way to access your favorite websites or articles directly from your desktop. In this article, we will guide you through the process of creating such a shortcut.
Step 1: Creating a New Shortcut
The first step is to create a new shortcut on your desktop. To do this, right-click on an empty area of your desktop and select "New" from the context menu. Then, choose "Shortcut" from the submenu. This will open the "Create Shortcut" wizard.
In the "Create Shortcut" wizard, you will be prompted to enter the location of the item you want to create a shortcut for. However, since we want to create a shortcut that accepts hyperlinks, we will leave this field blank for now. Click on the "Next" button to proceed.
Step 2: Naming the Shortcut
In the next step, you will be asked to provide a name for your shortcut. This can be anything you like, but it's recommended to choose a name that reflects the website or article you want to save. For example, if you want to save a link to an article about technology, you could name the shortcut "Tech Article". Once you have entered a name, click on the "Finish" button to create the shortcut.
Step 3: Modifying the Shortcut Properties
Now that you have created the shortcut, we need to modify its properties to make it accept hyperlinks. Right-click on the newly created shortcut and select "Properties" from the context menu. This will open the "Properties" window for the shortcut.
In the "Properties" window, you will see a field labeled "Target". This field contains the location of the shortcut's target. To make the shortcut accept hyperlinks, we need to modify the target by adding a special command-line parameter. Append the following text to the end of the target:
explorer "%1"
Make sure to include a space between the existing target and the command-line parameter. Once you have made the modification, click on the "OK" button to save the changes.
Step 4: Testing the Shortcut
Now that you have modified the shortcut properties, it's time to test if it accepts hyperlinks dragged and dropped from a browser. Open your favorite web browser and navigate to a website or article you want to save. Click and hold on the address bar of your browser, then drag the link to the shortcut on your desktop. Release the mouse button to drop the link onto the shortcut.
If everything is set up correctly, you should see the web page or article open in your default web browser. Congratulations, you have successfully created a Windows shortcut that accepts hyperlinks!
Conclusion
Creating a Windows shortcut that accepts hyperlinks dragged and dropped from a browser can be a handy way to save and access your favorite websites or articles directly from your desktop. By following the simple steps outlined in this article, you can easily create such a shortcut and streamline your browsing experience.
| Reference | Link |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Support | support.microsoft.com |
| How-To Geek | howtogeek.com |