Add Website Links to Windows 10 Start Menu - Easy Guide
Customizing the Windows 10 Start Menu with Website Shortcuts
The Start menu in Windows 10 offers a significant degree of personalization. Users can enhance its functionality by adding shortcuts to frequently visited websites.
This allows for rapid access to preferred online destinations with a single click on a designated tile.
Adding Website Shortcuts via Microsoft Edge
Creating website shortcuts from Microsoft Edge is a straightforward process. It enables quick launching of web pages directly from the Start menu.
Navigate to the desired website in Edge, then utilize the '...' menu to access the options for pinning to the Start menu.
Adding Website Shortcuts via Google Chrome
Google Chrome also provides a method for adding website shortcuts to the Windows 10 Start menu.
Open the website in Chrome, then access the '...' menu and select "More tools," followed by "Pin to Start screen."
Adding Website Shortcuts via Other Browsers
The process is generally similar for other web browsers as well. Most browsers offer a 'Pin to Start Menu' or equivalent option.
Typically, this can be found within the browser's menu, often under "More Tools" or a similar category.
While the specific steps may vary slightly depending on the browser used, the fundamental principle remains consistent: enabling convenient access to websites through the Windows 10 Start menu.
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge, the browser integrated with Windows 10, provides a straightforward method for adding website shortcuts to your Start menu.
Begin by navigating to the desired website. Then, access the browser’s menu – either by clicking or tapping the appropriate button – and select the option labeled "Pin This Page to Start".
Pinning Websites to Start
Confirm your intention to add the page. The website will then be displayed on your Start menu as a tile.
You have the ability to reposition this tile by simply dragging and dropping it to your preferred location.
Enhanced Tile Features
Certain websites offer expanded functionality when pinned through Microsoft Edge.
This can include a uniquely designed tile icon, or even a dynamic, live tile that automatically updates with current headlines and information directly from the site.
It’s important to note that this shortcut will consistently launch the website within the Microsoft Edge browser.
The process allows for quick and easy access to frequently visited web pages.
Google Chrome
Adding websites to your Start menu is now straightforward within Google Chrome as well. Begin by navigating to the desired website you wish to pin. Access the Chrome menu by clicking the menu button, then select "More Tools" and subsequently "Add to Desktop."
Assign a name to the shortcut; this name will be used to identify it. You can choose whether the website should open in a dedicated window when the shortcut is activated by selecting "Open in Window." Alternatively, deselect this option to launch the website as a standard browser tab.
Upon opening your Start menu, the newly created website shortcut will be visible under the "Recently Added" section located in the upper-left corner.
To customize its placement, simply drag and drop the website shortcut to the right side of your Start menu. This transforms it into a tile, allowing you to position it according to your preference.
It’s important to note that this particular shortcut will consistently launch the website using Google Chrome.
Adding Website Links to the Windows 10 Start Menu
An alternative method for adding website shortcuts to the Start menu exists. This approach is particularly useful when utilizing browsers such as Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer, though it functions equally well with Chrome and Edge.
Begin by navigating to the desired website within your browser. Identify the icon situated to the left of the web address in the location bar and drag this icon directly onto your desktop.
This action creates a desktop shortcut linked to the website. To customize the shortcut’s name, right-click on it, choose "Rename," and input your preferred title.
Proceed by right-clicking the shortcut and selecting either "Cut" or "Copy." This prepares the shortcut for placement within the Start menu folder.
To access the Start menu program shortcuts folder, simultaneously press the Windows key and the R key. This will open the Run dialog box.
Within the Run dialog, type the following command and then press Enter:
shell:programs
Executing this command will open the folder containing the shortcuts for programs displayed in your Start menu.
Within the programs shortcut folder, right-click in an empty space and select "Paste." This action inserts the copied website shortcut into the folder.
Related: How to Set Your Default Apps in Windows 10
Upon opening your Start menu, the website shortcut will now appear alongside your other installed application shortcuts. To add it as a tile, right-click the shortcut and select "Pin to Start."
When launched, this shortcut will open the website in your designated default web browser.
Adjusting the Size or Deleting Shortcut Tiles
Should you wish to reduce the size of a tile, a right-click or prolonged press on the tile itself will reveal a context menu. From there, choose "Resize" and then select the "Small" option.
Removing a shortcut tile from the Start menu is achieved by right-clicking or long-pressing the tile. Then, select the "Unpin from Start" command.
For website tiles displaying live updates that are no longer desired, a right-click will present further options. Select "More" followed by "Turn Live Tile Off" to disable these dynamic updates.
