open website in edge from .bat file

2 min read 24-01-2025

Want to quickly launch your favorite websites with a single click? This guide shows you how to create a simple batch file (.bat) to open any website directly in Microsoft Edge. This is useful for streamlining your workflow, especially if you regularly access specific sites. We'll cover the basics and provide examples to get you started.

Understanding Batch Files

Batch files are simple text files containing commands for your Windows operating system. When you run a .bat file, Windows executes the commands sequentially. We'll leverage this to instruct Windows to open your preferred website in Microsoft Edge.

Creating the Batch File

Open Notepad: Search for "Notepad" in your Windows search bar and open it.
Enter the Command: Type the following command, replacing "https://www.example.com" with the actual URL of the website you want to open:
```
start microsoft-edge:https://www.example.com
```
- start: This command opens a new window for the application. This prevents the batch file from hanging after launching the website.
- microsoft-edge:: This is the protocol handler for Microsoft Edge. It tells Windows to use Edge to open the URL.
- https://www.example.com: This is the URL of the website. Replace this with your desired website address.
Save the File: Click "File" > "Save As".
Choose a Name and Location: Give your file a descriptive name (e.g., open_website.bat). Crucially, save the file with the .bat extension. Choose a convenient location to store the file.
Run the Batch File: Double-click the newly created .bat file to run it. This will open the specified website in Microsoft Edge.

Troubleshooting and Advanced Techniques

Edge Isn't the Default Browser:

If Edge isn't your default browser, the command might not work as expected. You can either set Edge as your default browser or use the full path to the msedge.exe file. Find the location of msedge.exe (usually in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application) and use this command:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe" "https://www.example.com"

Remember to replace "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe" with the correct path if it's different on your system. Use quotes around the path if it contains spaces.

Opening Multiple Websites:

You can open multiple websites by adding more lines to your .bat file. Each line should follow the same format as above, with a new URL for each website.

start microsoft-edge:https://www.google.com
start microsoft-edge:https://www.bing.com

Adding Comments:

To improve readability, add comments to your batch file using the REM command. Comments are ignored by the system.

REM This batch file opens multiple websites in Microsoft Edge
start microsoft-edge:https://www.example.com
REM Opens Google in a new tab
start microsoft-edge:https://www.google.com

Conclusion

Creating a .bat file to open websites in Microsoft Edge is a simple yet effective way to improve your workflow. This method is quick, efficient, and easily customizable to your needs. Remember to always double-check your URLs and file paths to avoid errors. This technique can be easily adapted to other browsers as well, just by replacing the appropriate protocol handler.