How to Put a Website's Shortcut on a Desktop

Programs on your computer are easy to open; just look for their shortcuts and double-click. Websites, on the other hand, usually require you to open a web browser, enter their addresses and then navigate through lists of links before getting what you want. You can save yourself a ton of time by putting a website's shortcut directly onto your desktop.

Open the website you want to link to your desktop. Highlight the entire web address by clicking the toolbar and dragging your cursor across the text. Some browsers even let you highlight an address with a single click.

Right-click the highlighted address and choose "Copy" from the pop-up menu that appears. You can also copy the address by highlighting it and then pressing "Ctrl + c."

Minimize the web browser and right-click on an open patch of your desktop. When the pop-up menu unfolds, move your cursor down to "New" and select "Shortcut" from the list of items.

Paste the web address into the field that asks for the item's location. In Vista, this is the first text box that appears. You can paste the address by pressing "Ctrl + v" or by right-clicking the field and selecting "Paste."

Press the "Next" button and enter a name for the shortcut. Once you've done this, click "Finish" to create the icon and stick it to your desktop.

Double-click the new shortcut to make sure it works.