Issue/Question
All of my shortcuts on my desktop are white thumbnails now and do not have the file type associated to open in an internet browser.
I need to repair the .url file type association for desktop shortcuts. Upon restarting my computer the company-provided desktop shortcuts have had their icons replaced with blank pages, and when double-clicked they open a web browser but only display text on a white background.
Environment
- Windows
- Web browser such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge
Cause
As a result of removing Internet Explorer from our environment, Windows has lost the file type association for the desktop shortcut files on some user machines.
Resolution/Answer
- Right-click one of the broken desktop shortcut icons and select Properties
- In the dialog box that appears, on the General tab click Change
- Select Internet Browser and click OK
- Click OK