Create shortcut is greyed out in Chrome
It is unavailable on Chrome’s own pages (chrome://) and in Incognito or Guest windows. Open the website in a regular window.
How to make a desktop shortcut for a website
A website icon on the desktop saves you opening a browser and typing the address. There are four ways to make one. The fastest takes ten seconds; the best one opens the site in its own window, like an app.
Choose a method
| Method | Works on | Opens in | Taskbar pin | Custom icon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Drag the address | Windows, any browser | A tab in your default browser | No | Yes |
| 2. Chrome Create shortcut | Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS | Its own window (optional) | Yes | Site icon |
| 3. Edge Install as app | Windows, Mac | Its own window | Yes | Site icon |
| 4. Windows New › Shortcut | Windows 10 and 11 | A tab in your default browser | No | Yes |
On a Mac? Follow the Mac Dock guide.
Drag the website onto the desktop
ChromeEdgeFirefoxWindows
- Open the website and make the browser window smaller, so you can see the desktop.
- Press and hold the padlock or site icon at the left of the address bar.
- Drag it onto the desktop and let go. An icon with the page title appears.
This creates an internet shortcut (.url file). Rename it with F2. It always opens in a normal browser tab.
Use Chrome’s Create shortcut
WindowsmacOSLinuxChromeOS
- Open the website in Chrome.
- Click the ⋮ menu, then Cast, save, and share › Create shortcut…
- Edit the name, tick Open as window if you want it to look like an app, and click Create.
Chrome puts the shortcut on the desktop and in the Start menu. With Open as window, the site gets its own taskbar button and no tabs or address bar. Recent Chrome versions also offer Install page as app… in the same menu, which does the same thing for sites built as web apps.
Install the site as an app in Edge
WindowsmacOS
- Open the website in Microsoft Edge.
- Click … › Apps › Install this site as an app, then Install.
- In the window that follows, tick Create desktop shortcut, and Pin to taskbar if you want it there too, then click Allow.
Manage or uninstall these apps later at edge://apps.
Create it with Windows New › Shortcut
Windows 10Windows 11
- Copy the website address from your browser.
- Right-click an empty part of the desktop and choose New › Shortcut.
- Paste the address into Type the location of the item and click Next.
- Type a name and click Finish.
Useful when you cannot drag (for example in a full-screen remote desktop) or want to type the exact address, including a specific page.
Next step
Pin the website to the taskbar
Windows only pins apps, not .url shortcuts. So create the website shortcut with method 2 (with Open as window) or method 3 first. Then open it, right-click its taskbar button and choose Pin to taskbar.
A dragged shortcut can still go on the Start menu: right-click it and choose Pin to Start on Windows 11, or copy it into the Start Menu Programs folder.
Make it yours
Change the shortcut icon
- Right-click the shortcut and choose Properties.
- On the Web Document tab (or Shortcut tab), click Change Icon…
- Pick a built-in icon or browse to an
.icofile, then click OK and Apply.
Windows needs .ico files. Convert a PNG first, and keep the file somewhere permanent: if you delete it, the shortcut falls back to a blank icon.
Common problems
The shortcut opens the wrong browser
Dragged shortcuts follow your default browser. Change it in Windows Settings › Apps › Default apps, or use the Chrome or Edge method instead.
Dragging does nothing
The browser window is probably maximised or you are dragging the address text. Restore the window and drag the icon to the left of the address.
The icon is blank or generic
The site has no favicon Windows can use. Set a custom icon with the steps above.
Setting this up on many computers?
Shortcuts are made one PC at a time. WebToApp packages your website as a Windows launcher with its own icon and window size, plus Mac and Linux versions, that you can hand out as a download. It uses the browser already installed; it is not an EXE.
FAQ
Desktop shortcut questions
How do I make a website a desktop icon without Chrome?
Drag the padlock or site icon from any browser’s address bar onto the desktop, or right-click the desktop and choose New › Shortcut, then paste the web address. Both work with Edge, Firefox and other browsers.
Why can’t I pin my desktop shortcut to the taskbar?
Windows does not pin internet shortcuts (.url files) directly. Create the shortcut with Chrome’s Open as window option or install the site with Edge; those become apps that can be pinned.
Which browser opens my shortcut?
Dragged and New › Shortcut shortcuts open in your default browser. Chrome and Edge app shortcuts always open in the browser that created them.
Can I make a desktop shortcut on a Chromebook?
Yes. Use Chrome’s menu, Cast, save, and share › Create shortcut. The shortcut appears in the launcher and can be pinned to the shelf; Chromebooks have no desktop icons.
How do I put a website on my Mac desktop?
Drag the address from Safari or Chrome to the desktop to create a .webloc link, or add the site to the Dock as a web app. The Mac Dock guide covers both.
Will the shortcut keep me signed in?
Yes for dragged and New › Shortcut shortcuts, which use your normal browser profile. Chrome and Edge app windows share the profile that created them too.