Having trouble finding your pinned favorites in your web browser? Drop shortcuts directly on the desktop of Windows, macOS or even on the home screen of your iPhone or Android smartphone.
All browsers, whatever they are, offer to save the addresses of websites you visit regularly in a list of favorites. One or two clicks are then enough to open them. However, the list of these favorites is not necessarily very accessible depending on the browser and the device used. Also, rather than multiplying clicks and drop-down menus, you can create a shortcut on the Windows 10 Desktop or macOS Finder that leads directly to the site that interests you. This then takes the form of a file icon whose name is none other than the address of the website concerned. You can rename it and drag it to the Windows 10 taskbar or macOS Dock for quick access. A simple click on this icon is then enough to launch your usual browser - by default - and go directly to the site. Convenient ! Better yet, you can turn this site into a webapp. A trick that only works with Google and Microsoft browsers, but which allows you to access the site without launching the browser. Finally, iOS and Android mobiles are not left out. They too can host shortcuts to your favorite websites on their home screens, without having to search for them among your shortcuts.
How to create shortcuts to websites on computer?
Good news: whether you use a PC or a Mac, Google Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari, the operations to save a shortcut to a favorite website on the computer's desktop are absolutely identical… and above all very simple.
- Open your usual browser, then go to the site for which you want to create a shortcut.
- Click and hold the mouse click on the favicon at the beginning of the address bar. This is the small icon set up by the site editor. If there is no specific one, it is replaced by a padlock (if the site is secured with an HTTPS connection) or by a crossed out padlock or an alert panel (if the site is not secure) .
- Without releasing the mouse button, drag this icon to a blank area of the desktop.
- Then release the button. Immediately, a file icon named with the website address is displayed. Depending on the system and browser you are using, it may be flanked by the logo of the relevant website or the logo of the default browser.
- You can rename this shortcut so that its name is shorter without affecting its operation. On Windows, select it, press the key F2 on the keyboard, then enter the name you want. On macOS, select it, press the key Starter on the keyboard and give it the nm you want.
- All you have to do is double-click on this shortcut so that the site to which it leads opens in your default browser. Note, on macOS, even if the icon of the shortcut file is decked out with the Safari logo, it is indeed your default browser that is requested to access the website.
How to turn a website into an app?
Rather than creating a simple shortcut that will open your default browser, Chrome and Edge (the Chromium version of Microsoft's browser) allow you to turn a website into an application or, more precisely, a webapp. The site will thus open in a stand-alone window, without the browser interface (buttons, menus, address bar, etc.). A good way to focus on the content of the site and nothing else. This function is available on both Windows and macOS.
With Chrome
- Navigate to the website you want to create a webapp for from Chrome. Click on the three vertical points at the top right of the interface. In the menu that opens, choose More tools> Create shortcut ...
- You can rename the website. When you are satisfied, check the box Open in a window and validate by Create.
- The site opens in an individual window, cropped around its content.
- The Webapp has also taken place in the Windows taskbar. You can right-click on its icon and choose Pin to the taskbar in order to open it more quickly. Chrome does not need to be launched to access it.
- Note, on macOS, an app named after the shortcut you chose has taken place in the Applications> Chrome Applications folder. Nothing prevents you from moving it to the Dock for faster access.
With Edge
- Navigate to the website you want to create a webapp for from Edge. Click on the three horizontal dots at the top right of the interface. In the menu that opens, choose Applications > Install this site as an application.
- You can rename the website. When you are satisfied, click Installer.
- The site opens in an individual window, cropped around its content.
- The webapp has also taken place in the Windows taskbar. You can right-click on its icon and choose Pin to the taskbar in order to open it more quickly. Edge does not need to be launched to access it.
- Note, on macOS, an app named after the shortcut you chose has taken place in the Applications> Applications Edge folder. Nothing prevents you from moving it to the Dock for faster access.
How to create shortcuts to websites on mobile?
To save time on your iPhone or Android smartphone and quickly access websites you open often, create shortcuts on the home page.
On iOS
- Open Safari then go to the website for which you want to create a shortcut. Press at the bottom center of the screen on the square icon with an arrow pointing up.
- In the menu that opens, press the option On the home screen.
- In the new window that appears, you will find the name of the website (which you can edit) and its address. Press on Add top right.
- The shortcut to the site you just created takes place on the iPhone home screen. Just press it and it opens automatically.
On Android
- With Chrome or Firefox, go to the website you want to create a shortcut for. Press on three vertical points (top right of the screen for Chrome, bottom right of the screen for Firefox).
- In the dialog box that appears, you can change the name of the shortcut if you want. Press on Add.
- The shortcut icon takes place in a free area of the Android home screen. It is flanked by the logo of the browser with which the shortcut was created. It will open with this one.
