Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Internet explorer links changed to .url files

Oct 16, 2012 5:03AM PDT

Somehow I tried to open a bookmark from internet explorer using fire fox. When this happened all the bookmarks in internet explorer were changed to .url files, which I can't see or edit the link of any more when I right click on them.
All the .url files are now just the name of the bookmark, and it doesn't show the link location. is there a way to change the files back from a .url file.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Re: links
Oct 16, 2012 5:16AM PDT

You're somewhat confusing.

- A link, usually, is some text (most often blue) in a web page or email or document you can click on.
- A bookmark (or favorite, as IE calls it - bookmark is a Firefox term) is an 'internet shortcut' (a .url file) as presented in the favorites menu of IE. And you can't open a favorite shown by IE from Firefox, because a click on it by definition is handled by IE.
- The favorites menu in IE and the bookmarks menu in Firefox only show a description. The location is hidden in its properties.
- A desktop shortcut (often called 'icon') is an 'internet shortcut' (a .url file) as shown on the desktop.

So it's not clear at all what has been changed into what.


Kees

- Collapse -
links
Jun 14, 2013 3:56AM PDT

I'm not sure what the files were before the change to .url in internet explorer.
Before i was able to edit the website's address in the properties. Now with the .url designation i cannot.

- Collapse -
Answer
So you are about to go to the deep end of the pool.
Oct 16, 2012 5:23AM PDT

Read http://superuser.com/questions/384637/specific-browser-for-specific-links first.

These URL filed did not change. If you unhide the file extension and/or set another default browser I can only guess the newer user of Windows could write as you did. Nothing is really broken here so YOUR CHOICE to set IE as the default browser to see if the .URL files function again.
Bob

- Collapse -
Solution!
Jun 14, 2013 4:21AM PDT
- Collapse -
Association.
Jun 14, 2013 4:26AM PDT

This sounds like an association change.

You bring up a good point. Since there is no manual with today's Windows PCs and they are being sold as appliances what should folk do when the basics of Windows and how it works is no longer supplied with each PC?
Bob