What is the URL file format?
A .url file - formally called an Internet Shortcut - stores a single web address so you can revisit it with a double-click. .url stands for Uniform Resource Locator. .url files can point to a website, a network share, or any other location reachable by a URL.
Under the hood, a .url file is a plain-text INI-style file. It begins with the section header [InternetShortcut] followed by a URL= key that holds the target address, and optionally IconFile=, IconIndex=, or HotKey= keys for a custom icon or keyboard shortcut. Because the format is plain text, you can open and inspect any .url file in Notepad or another text editor.
.url files can be created manually by opening a new file, copying the web address into it, and saving with the .url extension. Alternatively, dragging a link from a browser to the desktop causes Windows to create the shortcut automatically. On macOS, a similar role is filled by .webloc files.
Security concerns. .url files, like their local counterparts .lnk shortcuts, can be potentially dangerous and should not be sent to other users via email. Windows will not display the .url extension even if the *"Hide extensions for known file types"* option is disabled. A malicious .url file, when opened, can silently direct users to servers hosting harmful or phishing content.
Security & safety
RISK: MEDIUMA .url file contains no code and can't run a program by itself, but it's still a link - and links can lead to phishing or malware sites. Treat a .url received by e-mail/chat exactly like a suspicious link: read the destination first (right-click → Properties, or open in Notepad to see the URL= line) before double-clicking, since the filename can disguise where it actually goes. There have also been past Windows abuses where crafted .url files (e.g. with an IconFile pointing at a remote SMB path) leaked credentials, so don't open .url attachments from untrusted senders.
Format details
in a nutshell- Generic URL/list text file - Some tools and downloaders save plain lists of links with a .url extension; these are just text, not Windows Internet Shortcuts.
Programs that open URL files
Windows3 apps
Windows Notepad
Built-in Right-click → Open with → Notepad to read/edit the URL= line - the reliable way to SEE or copy the actual web address. 
Any web browser (Chrome / Edge / Firefox)
Free Double-click the .url - Windows opens the stored address in your default browser. To change which browser, set the default browser in Settings → Apps → Default apps.
File Explorer (Properties)
Built-in Right-click the .url → Properties → Web Document tab shows the target URL without opening it. 
macOS2 apps
TextEdit
Built-in Open the .url in TextEdit to read the URL= line (macOS has no native Internet Shortcut handler; .webloc is the Mac equivalent).
Safari / any browser
Built-in macOS may not run a Windows .url on double-click; copy the address from TextEdit and paste it into the browser, or rename to .webloc isn't 1:1 - just open the link manually. 
Linux1 app
Any text editor / browser
Free Open the .url in a text editor (gedit, nano) to read the URL= line, then paste the address into a browser. Linux desktops don't natively double-click-launch Windows .url files. Technical details
deep spec| File structure | Plain-text INI-style file; human-readable in any text editor |
| Section header | `[InternetShortcut]` - the mandatory first line that identifies the file |
| Primary key | `URL=` - stores the full target address (e.g. `URL=https://www.example.com`) |
| Optional keys | `IconFile=`, `IconIndex=`, `HotKey=`, `IDList=`, `WorkingDirectory=` |
| MIME type | `application/x-mswinurl` |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Binary magic bytes | None - identified by the plain-text header `[InternetShortcut]` at byte offset 0 |
| Character encoding | UTF-8 (Windows 10 and later); system ANSI code page on older Windows versions |
| Typical file size | Under 1 KB |
| Double-click action | Opens the stored URL in the system default web browser |
| Windows shell behavior | Extension is hidden by Windows Explorer even when "Hide extensions for known file types" is turned off |
| Icon display | Windows fetches and caches the target site's favicon as the shortcut icon |
| Cross-platform support | Native on Windows only; macOS uses `.webloc`, Linux browsers may read the file but offer no shell integration |
| Security classification | Flagged as potentially dangerous by email clients and antivirus tools; can redirect silently without user confirmation |
| Related formats | `.lnk` (local filesystem shortcuts), `.website` (Windows 8+ pinned site shortcuts), `.webloc` (macOS web shortcuts) |
| Released | 1996 (Internet Explorer 3 / Windows); INI-based [InternetShortcut] format |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | learn.microsoft.com |
URL conversions
Community Q&A
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