# How can I create a desktop shortcut to my favorite website?

**URL:** <https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/how-can-i-create-a-desktop-shortcut-to-my-favorite-website/6779>\
**Category:** Budgie Desktop\
**Created:** [July 6, 2023, 8:00am UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/how-can-i-create-a-desktop-shortcut-to-my-favorite-website/6779 "2023-07-06T08:00:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mikomc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@mikomc](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/mikomc)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 8:00am UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/how-can-i-create-a-desktop-shortcut-to-my-favorite-website/6779/1 "2023-07-06T08:00:54Z")

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How can I create a desktop shortcut to my favorite website?  
For example, a direct link to youtube with its own icon on the desktop to automatically open in firefox?

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**Author:** ![makitso](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/makitso/32/4961_2.png) [@makitso](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/makitso)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 10:47am UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/how-can-i-create-a-desktop-shortcut-to-my-favorite-website/6779/2 "2023-07-06T10:47:47Z")

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Desktop shortcuts are specific to the browser you use. I use Brave so, I select the hamburger icon top right, Moore tools, create shortcut.  
For firefox see this link.

> **[Create a desktop shortcut to a website | Firefox Help](https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/create-desktop-shortcut-website)**
>
> Learn how to easily make a shortcut on your desktop that will open Firefox and take you to a favorite website.

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**Author:** ![Coeur-Noir](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/coeur-noir/32/4515_2.png) [@Coeur-Noir](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/Coeur-Noir)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 1:09am UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/how-can-i-create-a-desktop-shortcut-to-my-favorite-website/6779/3 "2023-07-07T01:09:11Z")

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Mmmm… @makitso why not a regular launcher ( a .desktop file ) for the web-browser of your choice, targeting a specific website url ?

The method described in Firefox support page creates a kind of link without icon and is not at all a « Linux » desktop launcher. And it’s broken with snap web-browsers / or in DE that don’t display icons on desktop.

The method you mentioned for Brave ( same as in Chromium, Chrome and the likes ) is also partially broken with snap web-browsers.

Sorry @mikomc I’ve never translated this « how-to » for creating Firefox launchers on specific websites, with their own icons ( if you read french ) :  
[https://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/firefox\_quelques\_astuces#des\_lanceurs\_pour\_site\_web\_avec\_profil\_et\_icone\_dedies\_faute\_de\_pwa](https://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/firefox_quelques_astuces#des_lanceurs_pour_site_web_avec_profil_et_icone_dedies_faute_de_pwa)

To achieve that ( own icon ) you’ll need to launch Firefox with a profile dedicated to that website.  
You may synchronize that profile with your usual one, if you want, but Firefox has to be launched on a profile for Youtube ( as your example. )  
**One icon can be associated to one profile, that’s the idea.**

The important key-words in your launcher ( .desktop file ) are :  
⋅ `Name`  
⋅ `Icon`  
⋅ `Exec`  
⋅ `–class`  
⋅ `StartupWMClass`

In your `~/.mozilla/firefox/` folder the key-places-and-files are :  
⋅ `~/.mozilla/firefox/profiles.ini`  
⋅ `~/.mozilla/firefox/<dedicated_profile_for_youtube>`

At the end, you’ll save your `firefox-youtube.desktop` launcher into :  
⋅ `~/.local/share/applications`

* * *

Trying to sum it up…

Launch Firefox from terminal this way

```auto
firefox --ProfileManager

```

Create a new profile, named « Youtube ».  
No need to launch it now.  
But be sure it has been created ( look into `~/.mozilla/firefox` )

In `~/.local/share/applications` create a file named `firefox-youtube.desktop` which contains :

```auto
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.1
Type=Application
Name=Youtube
Comment=Youtube through Firefox
Icon=youtube
Exec=firefox -P Youtube https://www.youtube.com/ --class Youtube %u
Categories=AudioVideo;Audio;Player;Network;Internet;
StartupWMClass=Youtube
StartupNotify=true

```

-P, --class and StartupWMClass must share the same value ( here, Youtube ).

In `~/.local/share/icons` or in `/usr/share/icons`  
don’t forget to have a file for your icon, named `youtube.png` or `youtube.svg`  
Or use Papirus icon set which _probably_ offers a youtube icon 😉

And voilà.  
You’ll find the Youtube shortcut in your app’ menu among your other installed app’s.  
You may copy paste that _firefox-youtube.desktop_ launcher onto your desktop…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![makitso](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/makitso/32/4961_2.png) [@makitso](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/makitso)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 10:16am UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/how-can-i-create-a-desktop-shortcut-to-my-favorite-website/6779/4 "2023-07-07T10:16:46Z")

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@Coeur-Noir  
Yes, he can also create a desktop launcher. I have several one to open Google Calendar.

```auto
#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Name=Google Calendar
Exec=/opt/brave.com/brave/brave-browser --profile-directory=Default https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/r
Icon=brave-kjbdgfilnfhdoflbpgamdcdgpehopbep-Default

```