What is the WEBLOC file format?
A .webloc file is a shortcut used for storing a website location, created by macOS and supported by Apple's Safari and other browsers. Internally, the file is an Apple property list - plain XML or a binary bplist00 file - holding a single URL key. The .webloc file saved on the desktop is created by dragging the website icon placed next to the address field from the web browser. When the user opens the .webloc file, the associated website can be launched in Safari, Chrome, Firefox, or any default browser. Note that older files stored the URL in a resource fork and may appear empty when copied to Windows or Linux; the Windows counterpart is the .URL internet shortcut.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .webloc is a tiny text file that holds a single URL and contains no executable code, so the file itself is harmless. The only risk is the destination: like any shortcut or link, a .webloc can point to a phishing or malware site, so treat an unexpected .webloc the same as an unexpected link - check the URL inside (open it as text) before opening it in a browser.
Format details
in a nutshellFULL NAMEmacOS Website Location (Finder internet shortcut)
DEVELOPERApplesince Mac OS X (Safari era, early 2000s); modern XML-plist form since ~10.4
CATEGORYWeb Files
MIME TYPEapplication/x-webloc
TYPEApple property-list file (XML plist, plain text) holding one URL
Programs that open WEBLOC files
Windows2 apps
Notepad / Notepad++
Open-source Open the .webloc as text and copy the URL from inside <string>...</string>, then paste it into a browser. (Windows has no native .webloc handler.)
Any web browser (Chrome / Edge / Firefox)
Free Browsers don't open .webloc directly - read the URL out of the file (text editor) and paste it into the address bar. 
macOS2 apps
TextEdit
Built-in Open the .webloc as text (Format > Make Plain Text) to read or edit the URL string directly.
Finder + default browser (built-in)
Built-in Double-click the .webloc; macOS opens the stored URL in your default browser. Set the default browser in System Settings > Desktop & Dock. 
Linux1 app
Text editor (gedit / any)
Open-source Open as text to read the URL; Linux has no native .webloc handler. Technical details
deep spec| Format type | Apple property list (plist) file containing one URL entry |
| Encoding variants | XML text (UTF-8) or binary plist; most modern files are XML, drag-created shortcuts may be binary plist |
| XML header | XML-plist files begin with `<?xml version="1.0"?>` and a `<!DOCTYPE plist` declaration, with the URL inside a `<dict>` block |
| Binary plist signature | Binary variant begins with ASCII `bplist00` at byte offset 0 (hex 62 70 6C 69 73 74 30 30) |
| Internal URL key | Target address stored under the plist key `URL`; no other keys are required by the format |
| MIME type | `application/x-webloc` |
| Creation method (GUI) | Drag the favicon or site icon from the browser address bar to the macOS desktop or a Finder folder |
| Resource fork (legacy) | Older files stored the URL in the HFS+ resource fork; copying to FAT32/NTFS/ext4 strips the fork, making such files appear empty |
| Platform support | Native to macOS (Finder); not natively recognized on Windows or Linux - a text editor is needed to extract the URL |
| Execution behavior | Double-clicking opens the stored URL in the system default browser; the file contains no executable code |
| Typical file size | 200-600 bytes for an XML-plist file; binary plist variant is similar or slightly smaller |
| Developer | Apple Inc. - part of the Cocoa / CFPropertyList framework |
| Cross-platform transfer | Modern XML-plist `.webloc` files copy to any OS intact; any text editor or XML parser can read the embedded URL |
| Windows equivalent | The `.url` internet shortcut (INI-style plain-text file) serves the same purpose on Windows |
| Programmatic creation | Can be generated with `PlistBuddy`, Python's `plistlib` module, or any library that writes Apple property lists |
| Released | Mac OS X (Safari era, early 2000s); modern XML-plist form since ~10.4 |
| Specification | developer.apple.com |
WEBLOC conversions
Possible
.WEBLOC .URLGUIDE
Yes - open the .webloc in a text editor, copy the address from the tag, and write a two-line .url file.
How to convert
.WEBLOC .HTMLGUIDE
Yes, you can convert a .webloc to a clickable HTML file -- open the .webloc in any text editor, copy the URL…
How to convert
.WEBLOC .TXTGUIDE
Yes - rename the file or open it in a text editor; the URL is readable in plain text immediately.
How to convert
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about WEBLOC files.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .webloc file?
It's a macOS internet shortcut - a small file that stores one website address, created by dragging a page's icon from a browser to the Finder. Double-clicking it on a Mac opens that URL in your default browser. It's the Mac equivalent of a Windows .url file.
How do I open a .webloc file on Windows?
Windows has no built-in handler, but a .webloc is plain text. Right-click > Open with > Notepad, find the line inside <string>https://...</string>, copy that URL, and paste it into your browser. Or rename the file to .txt to open it more easily.
How do I open a .webloc on a Mac?
Just double-click it - the Finder opens the stored web address in your default browser. To change which browser, set your default in System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
Why is my .webloc file empty / 0 bytes?
Very old Mac OS X .webloc files stored the URL in the HFS resource fork, which is lost when copied to a Windows/Linux drive or a ZIP. Modern .webloc files keep the URL in the file body and copy fine; if yours is empty, the address was in the (now stripped) resource fork.
How do I convert a .webloc to a Windows .url shortcut?
Read the URL out of the .webloc and create a text file with two lines: '[InternetShortcut]' and 'URL=https://...'. Save it with a .url extension. Scripts can batch-convert a whole folder.
Can I open a .webloc on my iPhone or Android?
On iPhone/iPad, tap it and iOS opens the URL in your default browser. On Android there's no native handler; open the file as text to read the link, then paste it into Chrome.
References
1Apple Developer - Property List (plist) basicsdeveloper.apple.com
2Apple Support - Bookmark webpages in Safarisupport.apple.com
