How to Add email to desktop
Let’s assume you’re using Windows, and, like us monkeys at Pinkeye Graphics, you also use Gmail for email. If so, you might well want to have a convenient shortcut to Gmail on your desktop – you know, just like the one that used to go to Outlook Express, all those years ago? In fact, for those changing over to an online email system like Gmail from Windows Mail or a similar desktop email app, having an email icon in the task bar is
a nice bit of convenience. Even though it just opens up a browser it still retains some of that offline look and feel which is reassuring and easy to use. Find out below how to make this happen in a few brief clicks of the mouse. This should work for Windows 11, Windows 10 and all earlier versions . We’re using Gmail as it’s a common example, but this will work if you are using Outlook online, as well. This will work on any desktop or laptop Windows computer, but not phones or
tablets. If you don’t know which browser you are using, find out at the “What browser am I using?” website. First of all, if you’re using either the Chrome, Firefox or Edge browsers, it’s almost all done for you. Chrome drop-down menu location If you are using Chrome
If your version of Windows supports it, you can then also right click on the icon and get the option to ‘Pin to taskbar’ or ‘Pin to start menu’ if you want to do that. Or you might be able to simply drag the new icon to the task bar and it will stay there. If you are using FirefoxYou can use Firefox to create a shortcut on your computer’s desktop to any webpage like Gmail. This method also works in Chrome.
If you are using Microsoft Edge
If you’re not using Chrome, Firefox or Edge – or if the above methods didn’t work for you – don’t worry, you can have an icon too. There are two stages, and you don’t even have to do the second one if you don’t want to. Here’s the first. Making a shortcut to Gmail using any other browserYou can put a shortcut to any webpage on your desktop or task bar, so Gmail, being just a webpage, is a doddle. This will work with any website at all, but we’re using Gmail as an example.
That’s the basic bit done. It will now work, and if you are happy with how it looks stop now. Customise your new shortcutBut there’s more! Still want more? OK, here’s the second part, if you need it. You may notice that the icon is not the nice Gmail icon that you usually see. So if that applies to you, you’ll want to change that. Here’s a file to download: Gmail icon file. It’s called gmail-new-icon.ico. If you know how to do that, go ahead. If not, follow these instructions (it’s the same file, so you only need to do one). To download the file right-click on the icon file. In Edge or Internet Explorer, chose ‘Save target as‘; or in Chrome or Firefox ‘Save link as‘. Other browsers have similar options. Once you’ve downloaded the file, this is how to use it.
Your icon now has an authentic Gmail look. Oh, and did you prefer the old red and white icon for Gmail? We have that too, right here. Use this link to download as above, then follow the same instructions. Why stop there? Make a shortcut to Outlook instead.Ok, so if you got that working you can do some more. Why not make a shortcut to Facebook on your desktop? Or Twitter? Or your local newspaper? The first steps above will work for any website, so go ahead and try it. If you prefer to use Microsoft Outlook, this will work too if you are using the online version (Office 365). Just follow the above instructions, using your Outlook email inbox page instead of Gmail. We’ve even found you a free Outlook icon you can download here. If you want to change the look of your new shortcuts, you will need to download icons that look good though, as otherwise all the shortcuts will look the same. It’s not hard to find them though, just use Google! Good luck! |