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URL File - What is a .url file and how do I open it?
Learn about .URL files and view a list of programs that open them.
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Overview
What is a URL file? A URL file is a shortcut that points to a specific Uniform Resource Locator . When you double-click a URL file, your computer accesses the URL the file contains. URL files most often contain https: web addresses and are used to access web pages. However, URL files can also contain mailto: , tel: , file: , or other URLs.
More Information URL file open in Apple TextEdit Each URL file contains at least the following plain text information: [InternetShortcut] URL=URL Address For example, a URL file used as a shortcut to start composing an email to [email protected] would contain: [InternetShortcut] URL=mailto: [email protected] In Windows, you can quickly create a URL file that points to a web address by dragging the address from your web browser to your desktop. This is an easy way to create a desktop shortcut to a specific webpage. (On a Mac, dragging a web address to your desktop will instead produce a .WEBLOC file.) A URL file may also reference an icon ( .ICO ) file. If an icon file is listed, that icon overwrites the URL file's default icon. NOTE: Windows does not display the .url file extension, just as it does not display the .LNK file extension for Windows shortcuts.
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.URL File Extension
URL Shortcut File
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| Popularity |
3.7 | 191 Votes |
What is a URL file?
A URL file is a shortcut that points to a specific Uniform Resource Locator . When you double-click a URL file, your computer accesses the URL the file contains. URL files most often contain https: web addresses and are used to access web pages. However, URL files can also contain mailto: , tel: , file: , or other URLs.
More Information
URL file open in Apple TextEdit
Each URL file contains at least the following plain text information:
[InternetShortcut] URL=URL Address
For example, a URL file used as a shortcut to start composing an email to [email protected] would contain:
[InternetShortcut] URL=mailto: [email protected]
In Windows, you can quickly create a URL file that points to a web address by dragging the address from your web browser to your desktop. This is an easy way to create a desktop shortcut to a specific webpage. (On a Mac, dragging a web address to your desktop will instead produce a .WEBLOC file.)
A URL file may also reference an icon ( .ICO ) file. If an icon file is listed, that icon overwrites the URL file's default icon.
NOTE: Windows does not display the .url file extension, just as it does not display the .LNK file extension for Windows shortcuts.
How to open a URL file
To use a URL file as a URL shortcut, double-click the file. Provided your file is formatted correctly, the URL your file contains will open in your web browser or another associated program.
To view the plain text data a URL file contains, open the file in Microsoft Notepad (Windows), Apple TextEdit (Mac), or any other text editor.
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Programs that open URL files
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Program Name
Platform
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X
Windows
Double-click to open URL in associated program
Microsoft Notepad
Included with OS
Any text editor
Mac
Double-click to open URL in associated program
Apple TextEdit
Included with OS
any text editor
Linux
Double-click to open URL in associated program
Vim
Free
Any text editor
Android
Zapek Software Engineering stuntzurl
Free
Category: Web Files
Updated: December 6, 2021