Windows File Explorer Won't Execute URL Shortcuts

In a Win10 Pro 21H2 desktop system, this screenshot contrasts two simultaneous views of the same folder, named New Recipes. The top view is in Q-Dir, a Windows File Explorer alternative. The bottom view is in Windows File Explorer.



One visible difference is that the icons are displayed normally in Q-Dir, whereas in File Explorer they are washed out. A parallel invisible difference is that double-clicking on an icon works as expected in Q-Dir - that is, the desired webpage opens in the Internet browser - whereas double-clicking on a icon malfunctions in File Explorer: what opens is not the browser, but rather a print dialog.

Right-click on the Start button --> Windows PowerShell

Run the following commands and post the output.

Code:

(GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.htm\UserChoice\")."ProgId"

(GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.html\UserChoice")."ProgId"

(GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\https\UserChoice\")."ProgId"

(GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice\")."ProgId"

The following shows my example output:

Code:

PS C:\Users\Matthew_Wai> (GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.htm\UserChoice\")."ProgId"
ChromeHTML
PS C:\Users\Matthew_Wai> (GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.html\UserChoice\")."ProgId"
ChromeHTML
PS C:\Users\Matthew_Wai> (GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\https\UserChoice\")."ProgId"
ChromeHTML
PS C:\Users\Matthew_Wai> (GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice\")."ProgId"
ChromeHTML

My default browser is Google Chrome.

Matthew Wai said:

Code:

(GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.htm\UserChoice\")."ProgId"
(GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.html\UserChoice")."ProgId"
(GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\https\UserChoice\")."ProgId"
(GP "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice\")."ProgId"

My results, respectively:
FirefoxHTML-308046B0AF4A39CB
FirefoxHTML-308046B0AF4A39CB
FirefoxURL-308046B0AF4A39CB
FirefoxURL-308046B0AF4A39CB

Try3 said:

This was also reported last year.
From what I can make out it was not solved but I did not quite follow all of @mngerhold's post #21.

Good link. I have added a comment to that discussion, applying mngerhold's post to my situation.

raywood said:

I have added a comment to that discussion, applying mngerhold's post to my situation.

I have just added a comment below your comment there.
The option "Open" is missing from your context menu.
The shortcuts can't work without "Open".
You have to add "Open" onto the context menu.