Create a Web URL Desktop Shortcut That Opens in Internet Explorer IE

I needed to Create a Web URL Desktop Shortcut that Opens in Internet Explorer IE via Group Policy because a client has an internal Web Application that only works within IE.

Outside of the apparently non-obvious disadvantages of using a shitty browser for all web browsing, I’ve found that GPO’s that dictate your default browser cause more issues than their worth.

I decided to have the shortcut to their web app have a line to dictate which browser will open the URL, in the below example we use Internet Explorer (IE).

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How to Create a Web URL Desktop Shortcut that Opens in Internet Explorer IE, Edge Chrome, Firefox or any Web Browser using Group Policy:

 

1. On your domain controller, open up Group Policy
2. Create a new GP (best practice is to always have separate GPOs for each item rather than 1 GPO that has multiple setting because its easier to turn off a failing GPO)
3. Create a Test OU in Active Directory
4. Make a Test User in Active Directory
5. Make sure that your test user is within that Test OU (or it will not apply)
6. Right-click on your GPO and select edit
7. Expand User “Configuration”, “Preferences”, and “Windows Settings”
8. Select “Shortcuts”
9. Right-click in the empty space and select “New” and “Shortcut”
10. For “Action” select “Replace” (so that if you want to delete it later it will remove it from everyone’s desktop)
11. In the “Name” Field put an appropriate display name for the Web Application shortcut
12. For “Target type” select “File System Object”
13. For “Location” select “Desktop”
14. In the “Target Path” text box put C:Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe or use the browse button to navigate to the location of Internet Explorer (you don’t need quotes for any of these fields)
15. In the “Arguments” text box put the URL that you need to open with Internet Explorer
16. If you want a dedicated Icon for the shortcut, in the “Icon file path” type the file path of the icon or use the browse button to navigate to the location of the icon (make sure the users have rights to that folder/icon)
17. Click on the Common tab and check “Remove this item when it is no longer needed“)
18. Click OK and Close all open windows
19. Now go to a computer and log in as your test user and you should see the Shortcut with the icon and correct URL

What to do if you do not see the URL Desktop Shortcut after you created the Group Policy:

 

1. Run GPRESULT /R with admin rights from the command line and confirm the GPO is listed
2. If the GPO isn’t listed, then that user is not in the right OU in AD or has not been assigned to the GPO
3. If the GPO is listed, you will need to confirm your GPO settings

 

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