Create a shorcut to a specific FTP folder in Windows on the Desktop and the Taskbar?

Is it possible to create a shortcut to a specific FTP folder in Windows?

I have already added my FTP site by using

My Computer > Add Network Location > FTP Address.

However, explorer opens up my default folder. I have to frequently access a specific folder which is located at:

Home > public_html > assets > images > platform > products

Can I create a shortcut, which will launch the products folder directly?

EDIT: To make it easy to understand - I'd like to have a shortcut to the FTP sub-folder on the Desktop and be able to pin it to the Taskbar (essential)

Navik Goswami

Posted 2015-09-14T11:59:50.747

Reputation: 124

I find your question confusing: do you want to access your ...\products folder through FTP, or do you want direct file access to the files handled by your FTP server? In the first case a network location works fine in Windows 10; in the second case you can use a symbolic link in any convenient location, such as your home directory. – AFH – 2015-09-14T12:39:02.583

It's the former. To make it clear - an explorer shorcut that can pinned to the Start Screen and the taskbar (essential). – Navik Goswami – 2015-09-14T12:42:11.330

In that case Andre's answer should work, but you will need to add explorer to the short-cut, as in explorer ftp://...; otherwise the short-cut will open the site in a browser, not Windows Explorer. – AFH – 2015-09-14T13:02:28.277

@AFH Thank you! That worked! If you can properly form your comment to include Andre's answer along with the steps to make a shortcut for a desktop and pin it to taskbar, I'll mark it as the answer. – Navik Goswami – 2015-09-14T14:00:31.287

Answers

You can create a short-cut on your desk-top and for the location of the item enter:

explorer ftp://username:password@ftpserver.com/public_html/assets/images/platform/products

(This is the same answer as Andre gave, but with the addition of explorer to stop the FTP site opening in a browser.)

You can then right-click on the short-cut and select Pin to taskbar.

Note that navigating upwards will work up the directory tree, whereas using a network location will go straight from the FTP site to My Computer (or This PC on Windows 10).

AFH

Posted 2015-09-14T11:59:50.747

Reputation: 15 470

On Windows 7 it says that explorer.exe has changed or moved: https://i.imgur.com/eq1CJtv.png

– Kaspar L. Palgi – 2018-09-05T09:25:16.883

@KasparL.Palgi - I don't understand this: is there something missing from your PATH? What does where explorer show in cmd? It should be in the Windows directory (%windir%). You can always add the directory path to explorer in the shortcut. – AFH – 2018-09-05T11:06:14.363

Got it working but for example if I want to save from browser something directly to FTP then I can't click on that shortcut to FTP. – Kaspar L. Palgi – 2018-09-07T10:35:14.140

@KasparL.Palgi - You can't use the shortcut as a copy target: you need to open the shortcut and paste into the explorer window. – AFH – 2018-09-07T13:17:29.070

You can also map it directly to the products folder by entering: ftp://username:password@ftpserver.com/public_html/assets/images/platform/products

A1985

Posted 2015-09-14T11:59:50.747

Reputation: 452

Have you tried this personally? Because Windows won't let me do it. It says "Windows cannot access the folder". I have been scratching my head and I'm pretty confident that I have tried almost everything including direct mapping to the folder. :( – Navik Goswami – 2015-09-14T12:24:04.873

Indeed I have used that already, yes. Can you share your exact url? (obviously without your credentials) Maybe we can find something out. – A1985 – 2015-09-14T12:28:26.337

I have tried this - ftp://username:password@ftp.buyonlinecheap.co.uk/public_html/assets/images/eBay%20Desc/products/ – Navik Goswami – 2015-09-14T12:30:01.613

Can you try to add this until the ebay part? ftp://username:password@ftp.buyonlinecheap.co.uk/public_html/assets/images/ I think that Windows probably has issues with the %20 / blank space at the ebay part. – A1985 – 2015-09-14T12:34:01.623

I'm sorry it did work! Actually, I was trying to put that in something else. But now, I have a problem. This is an internet shortcut. How can I open this in "explorer"? – Navik Goswami – 2015-09-14T12:39:57.163

Try to open the ftp in your internet explorer. Press ALT to show the menu bar and click on View. Now choose Open FTP Site in File Explorer – A1985 – 2015-09-14T12:47:07.230

But then would I have to do this everytime? – Navik Goswami – 2015-09-14T12:48:40.690

I think it's remembering that. But you'd have to try that. – A1985 – 2015-09-14T12:52:12.313

Couldn't you just create a shortcut to IE "C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" and open the properies and add your FTP side: "ftp://username:password@ftpserver.com/public_html/assets/images/platform/products" ? – nixda – 2015-09-14T12:58:32.377

-2

Why don't you just try to make it with a simple way? i.e. in Desktop context menu choose New >> Shortcut then write your specific FTP adrress in the first textbox that appears there? [Sorry for my bad English]

Ghost86

Posted 2015-09-14T11:59:50.747

Reputation: 1

Welcome to SU, IMO when you post an answer you should make it look as an answer, an answer can't be answered with question, if you have questions, do comments, if you have not enough rep we have a complete model describing how it works http://superuser.com/help/whats-reputation

– Francisco Tapia – 2015-09-14T12:14:15.547

@Ghost86 Have you tried that personally? It becomes an "Internet shortcut". I'd like to open it in "EXPLORER" – Navik Goswami – 2015-09-14T12:26:00.867