Is it possible to create files that function as internet shortcuts?

Here is another way it can be done.

For this to work, you'll need a basic text editor, I'll use notepad on windows as an example because I don't have a mac.

Open a blank text document and type the following exactly the way I've written it.

[InternetShortcut]
url=http://applevis.com

When you're done, simply save the file with a .url extention.

I suppose the method will be quicker, but this is suppose to be cross platform.

I haven't tested my internet shortcuts with someone that uses a mac so I don't know if the windows method only works for windows and vice verser.

I know this works cross platform, because David Woodbridge did a podcast on it quite some time ago.

I guess the only way to find out if it works is to try a shortcut you created with a mac on windows and vice verser, see if it works.

I'd be curious to know the results.

am searching to find an easier way to do ,
all i need is to have A .URL file that i can click, it will open the site that i need
Thanks in advance

Not exactly sure how to do this with VO because of the drag and drop action, I moved back to windows recently so can’t experiment but here’s the instructions. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/create-shortcuts-websites-desktop-mac-43053.html. Basically you highlight the contents of the address bar then drag and drop it to the desktop.

I did and i could be draged and dropped easily, but, it appears as Web internet location, not dot URL,
i do not know if there are differences or not?

Good thing I wrote the syntax in this thread then.

It can be a bit fiddly, but at least nothing drastic will happen if you make a mistake.

Another advantage of the new app bundles which can be created out of web pages is that they use own cache and cookies. So you can use this "app" independently of Safari and its cache.

Or, open page, open file>export>bookmark?

The bookmar export feature creats only a HTML file which contains the bookmarks. So no direct link for me that I could place on the desktop or somewhere else. Sonoma's feature will be the best choice for such functionality in the near future.

I am just curious, what is wrong with the Web Archive option? I mean the steps are simple enough.

1. Press Command + S.
2. Pick a location and press Enter.
3. (Optional) You can also give it a unique name.

So.... are web archives not the same as an internet shortcut?

Apologies for my naïveté. 🥺

Someone above mentioned Drag and Drop. This is also doable with VO in macOS.

1. Press Command + L to enter the address bar in your browser.
2. Press Command + A to select the address.
3. Press VO + (comma).
4. Press VO + Shift + D to go to Desktop.
5. Press VO + (period).

The file will save as a www.<insertaddresshere>.com.webloc file.

HTH.

Several years back, when I left Windows, I had a bunch of those shortcuts. I didn't really know what to do with them in the OS I switched to, so I wrote up a file with all those addresses laid out with some basic HTML code., such as headings, then made the file my browser's home page and also put it on the desktop. I very much prefer this to the bookmark feature of the browser. I can edit the file to change the links and layout, it's just a text file with the tag changed from txt to html, but you'd have to learn a little bit of markup.

It is working, but it will not create a shortcut

Frankly, do not know the difference, but i saw many people did the shortcut, so, i think it is more Efficient

Below is an excerpt from Google–––

"WEBLOC files are shortcuts to websites generated by web browsers in macOS , such as Apple Safari or Google Chrome. It contains the URL of a web page and is created by dragging the website URL from the address bar of a web browser to another folder on the desktop or hard drive. Nov 30, 2022"

Source: https://www.minitool.com/lib/webloc-file.html#

See my post above labelled 'Drag & Drop'. It is super easy to do, and you can rename the file to something simple. i.e. "YouTube.webloc" instead of www.youtube.com.webloc.