Extract the URLs from Windows .url files by reading the URL= line in each file's [InternetShortcut] section. FindUtils Internet Shortcuts to CSV does that for as many files as you drop, or for every .url file inside a ZIP, and writes a CSV with the name, URL, working directory and icon of each shortcut, or a plain list of URLs. The files are read in your browser and no link is opened.
This guide explains what a .url file contains, how its lines become CSV columns, which shortcut files are a different format, and how to do the same job in PowerShell.
What Is a .url File?
A .url file is a Windows Internet Shortcut: a small plain-text file that stores one web address. Windows creates one when you drag a link from a browser's address bar to the desktop or a folder, and Internet Explorer stored its Favorites the same way. Double-clicking the file opens the address in the default browser.
The file uses INI format, with the address on a URL= line inside an [InternetShortcut] section:
[{000214A0-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
Prop3=19,11
[InternetShortcut]
IDList=
URL=https://docs.example.com/start
IconFile=https://docs.example.com/favicon.ico
IconIndex=1The first section, with the long identifier, is extra property data that some browsers add. Only the [InternetShortcut] section describes the link.
What Do the CSV Columns Mean?
| Column | Source in the .url file | Example |
|---|---|---|
| name | The file name without .url | Team Docs for Team Docs.url |
| url | The URL= line | https://docs.example.com/start |
| working_directory | The WorkingDirectory= line, when present | S:\Finance |
| icon_file | The IconFile= line, when present | https://docs.example.com/favicon.ico |
Key names are matched in any letter case, so url= and URL= both work, and Windows CRLF line endings and a byte order mark at the start of the file are accepted. A value containing a comma, a quote or a line break is quoted in the CSV.
How to Convert .url Files to CSV
- Select the
.urlfiles in File Explorer and drop them on Internet Shortcuts to CSV, or drop a ZIP that contains them. - Choose CSV for a spreadsheet or TXT for one URL per line. Turn on Remove duplicate URLs if the same link was saved more than once.
- Check the preview and the skipped files, each listed with its reason.
- Download the file. Keep Excel BOM on when the CSV will open in Excel, so accented names display correctly.
Files dropped later are added to the same output. For shortcuts spread across several folders, compress the top folder into a ZIP in File Explorer and drop the ZIP: every .url file inside it is read, in subfolders too, while __MACOSX entries are ignored.
In our test, four .url files, one .lnk file and a ZIP holding two more shortcuts gave five rows and two skipped files: the .lnk file and a shortcut with no URL= line. With Remove duplicate URLs on, the two shortcuts that appeared both loose and inside the ZIP collapsed, leaving three rows.
Which Shortcut Files Are Different?
| File | Format | Handled how |
|---|---|---|
.url | INI text with [InternetShortcut] | Converted |
.lnk | Binary Shell Link, defined by Microsoft's MS-SHLLINK specification | Skipped with the reason; it points to programs, files and folders |
.webloc | macOS property list | Skipped; convert it with Webloc to URL, which writes .url files and a name,url CSV |
| Browser bookmarks export | Netscape bookmarks HTML | Use Bookmarks HTML to CSV |
A .lnk file is recognised by its name, or by its first four bytes, 4C 00 00 00, the header size every Shell Link file starts with. Renaming a .lnk file to .url does not make it readable as text.
Are the Links Opened or Checked?
The links are not opened or checked. Internet Shortcuts to CSV copies each address as text, so no website learns that you converted your shortcuts, and a link that no longer works still appears in the output. Addresses that are not web pages, such as file:///S:/Finance/, are kept exactly as written and flagged in the notes, because they open local or network locations when double-clicked.
PowerShell Alternative
On Windows, PowerShell's Select-String pulls the URL= lines out of one folder:
Select-String -Path *.url -Pattern '^URL='
Each result shows the file name, the line number and the matched line, which still need trimming before they form a list. The command does not read ZIP files, does not produce separate name and URL columns, and needs a shell. Internet Shortcuts to CSV gives the same result as a ready CSV and runs in any browser, including on a Mac or Linux machine that received the files.
Common Mistakes
Dropping .lnk shortcuts from the desktop. Desktop shortcuts to programs are .lnk files, not .url files, and hold no web address.
Expecting https://example.com and https://example.com/ to merge. Remove duplicate URLs matches addresses exactly. For looser matching, such as ignoring tracking parameters, export bookmarks and use Dedupe Bookmarks.
Opening the CSV in Excel without the BOM. Names with accented letters can display incorrectly. Keep Excel BOM on for Excel.
Tools Used in This Guide
| Tool | Use |
|---|---|
| Internet Shortcuts to CSV | Turn .url files or a ZIP of them into a CSV or URL list |
| Bookmarks HTML to CSV | Do the same for a browser bookmarks export |
| Dedupe Bookmarks | Remove duplicate links with looser matching |
| Clean ZIP | Remove Mac and Windows junk from the ZIP before sharing it |
FAQ
How do I see the URL inside a .url file?
Open the file in Notepad and read the URL= line, or right-click it, choose Properties and look at the URL field on the Web Document tab. To read many at once, drop them on Internet Shortcuts to CSV.
Can I convert Internet Explorer Favorites?
Yes. Internet Explorer saved each favorite as a .url file in the Favorites folder of your user profile. Compress that folder into a ZIP and drop it; every favorite becomes a row, including those in subfolders.
Why was a file skipped?
Each skipped file is listed with its reason: no [InternetShortcut] section, no URL= line, an empty file, a .lnk shortcut, or a .webloc file. Mac .webloc files have their own converter, Webloc to URL.
Are my files uploaded?
No. The .url files and ZIPs are read by JavaScript in your browser tab, and the CSV is created there.
Sources
- Microsoft, [MS-SHLLINK]: Shell Link (.LNK) Binary File Format.
- Microsoft, Select-String.
- Microsoft Support, Zip and unzip files.
Next Steps
Convert your shortcuts with Internet Shortcuts to CSV. For links saved in a browser, export the bookmarks and use Bookmarks HTML to CSV.
