Shortcut to web site on desktop using ubuntu 24.04

Support and Help
, , ,
1

Has anyone successfully achieved a method to create a shortcut to a web site from the desktop using Ubuntu 24.04
None of the internet searches are up-to date.

2

Have you tried putting a .desktop file in your desktop directory with ‘Type=Link’ and ‘URL={wherever-you_want_to_link_to}’ ? That works in XUbuntu / XFCE - and is more or less the official way of doing that - but XFCE is not as actively hostile to having icons on the desktop as Gnome …

3

What browser do you use?

In Chrome/Chromium/Edge it’s possible to use the 3 dots “kebab” menu to add a desktop file to your computer as a shortcut to the page you’re currently on. I use this all the time. It puts the desktop file in ~/.local/share/applications, which you could probably drag to the desktop or use a shortcut or symlink to it.

4

I use Brave which did give shortcuts for Ubuntu 22.04 but why on earth take it off with an upgrade to 24.04.1 LTS is beyond me ! I have tried the file method without success.
Ubuntu members have all posted that the various suggested methods do not work. I do not like Chrome with its association with Google.
Is there anyone that has been able to use the file method with 24.04? I have yet to find anyone.

5

This is not the choice of Ubuntu but the GNOME developers, in fact GNOME itself does not allow Icons on the desktop at all in the default setup, Ubuntu uses an extension for this now and you should probably file an issue against it:

https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/2087/desktop-icons-ng-ding/

Issue tracker:

https://gitlab.com/rastersoft/desktop-icons-ng/-/issues

6

Having said all that - I have managed to get folders onto the desktop using the ‘share’ option. I’ll post more details this morning when I’ve managed to record all the steps.
There is no icon just the outline of a folder with the link address below. Perhaps there is a way of getting an icon?

7

A bit late to the party, I know.

But perhaps something here could be of use?
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1518333/how-to-create-desktop-shortcut-for-file-in-ubuntu-24-04#comment2674910_1518333

8

Web page Shortcut on the desktop using Brave Browser with Ubuntu 24.04.1

  1. Get webpage to be saved on the screen – which in my case was ‘Ubuntu Discourse’

  2. Click on the Share Symbol in the right hand side of the top toolbar – a V on its side with dumbbells

3 From the menu list that appears chose ‘Save page… ‘ at the bottom of list.

  1. At the top of the page adjust the name of the file which in this case I chose ‘Ubuntu Discourse.html’ Make sure the directory path is /User/Desktop. The user in my case was ‘Michael’

You can use the ‘rename’ option when the folder is on the desktop.

  1. There should now be a folder outline on the desktop with the name below. Double clicking on this gave the original web page. Wonderful until the next upgrade of Ubuntu?

Thanks everyone who contributed to the post. I will mark it as solved.

1 Like
9

Easy with KDE Wayland or X11. Just grab the padlock on the address bar of your browser and drag it to the desktop, release and there it is.

1 Like
10

That’s clever
I thought I’d try it with Ubuntu 24.04 and Gnome 46

Enable extension Desktop Icons NG (Ding)
Drag the address bar to the desktop
Automatic web shortcut created

Works with both Firefox snap and Firefox deb

1 Like