Len's Tech Notes

Email by entering your Email below:

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Create Web Shortcut Tiles - a Windows 10 Update

Being able to create tiles to go to your primary websites on your Start Screen is a great feature.

1. Open the Start Shortcuts folder in Documents you previously created (or create one now)


2. Go to the web page desired


3. Click-drag the small icon to the left of the web address (url) in the browser address bar into the Start Shortcuts folder


4. Install Pin Shortcut Files to Start Screen from the Download menu above, if you have not previously done so.


5. Right click on the web page shortcut, and select Pin to Start


6. Position the new tile as preferred on the Start Page by click-dragging

*Easily tell what version of Windows 10 you are running: Press Win-R and type winver

Initial Setup

1. Create a new folder in your Documents folder called Start Shortcuts.


2. Find your browser's file in the Program Files or Program Files(X86) folder. An easy way to find this if you've already pinned your favorite is find the tile of your default browser, right click and select Open File Location, then repeat the right-click:Open File Location on the displayed shortcut.


3. Create a shortcut of your browser in the Start Shortcuts folder by Alt-Click Dragging the file found in #2 to the Start Shortcuts folder. This shortcut will become your template for the web tiles you will create.

Create Shortcuts

1. In the Start Shortcuts folder, create a shortcut of the template created above by Alt-Click Dragging the template to a blank space in the folder.


2. Rename this new shortcut with the name you want for the tile; ex: Gmail


3. Right-click on this shortcut and select Properties


4. Open your web browser to the page you wish to have as a web tile.


5. Select the entire web address in the address field (not the Google search field) and copy with Ctrl-C


6. Put your cursor in the Target field of the shortcut properties and press the End key to move to the end of the field.


7. Enter a space by pressing the space bar and paste the web address with Ctrl-V


8. If you want to add a custom image to the tile, create an icon file and select using the Change Icon. button, as described below in Adding a custom image in the tile below


9. Click OK


10. Double-Click on the newly completed shortcut and be sure it opens the correct web page.


11. Right-Click on the shortcut and select Pin to Start


12. Go to the Start Screen and move the new tile from the bottom of the screen to the location of your choice.


13. Repeat for additional web tiles as desired.

Adding a custom image in the tile

1. Download Greenfish Icon Editor Pro from http://www.snapfiles.com/downloads/gficoneditor/dlgficoneditor.html . My experience is that this free program is very safe to use.


2. Open Greenfish Icon Editor Pro


3. Find an image you wish to use for your tile. This can be jpg, png or any other standard graphics format. It should be close to square to fit nicely in the tile. If don't have one, you may google tilename image for the tilename you are creating, and to find and save a suitable image.


4. Open the image file you've selected into Greenfish by dragging the file on the open program.


5. If the file size is greater than 256 x 256, you will need to reduce it. Select Icon:New Page and then type in: 124x124 and Square.


6. Choose File:Save As and Icon Files (ico) and store in the Start Shortcuts folder


7. If you've already pinned your tile to the Start Screen, the simplest way to add the image is, with the shortcut you've created, Unpin from Start, right-click Properties:Shortcut:Change Icon, save with OK, and again Pin to Start.

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.