🚀 go-pugleaf

Below is a tutorial I wish to post to the Windows newsgroups.
It contains all the methods I know of to create AI taskbar icons.

The problem is I can't get Firefox to do what Chromium does for taskbar
icons, specifically to open a web page without all the other stuff.

Can someone who is more familiar with Firefox menus and command line
options take a look at the Firefox section below to improve it?

I'll post it to the Windows newsgroups with your fixes in a week.
TIA





Tutorial: Create Shortcuts to Gemini / ChatGPT / Copilot in MS Windows 

I was helping someone create taskbar icons for the three registration-free
AI sites, so I hacked out this tutorial to help others do what we just did.

========================
A. Browser-based method
========================
Chromium browsers only (e.g., Chrome, Edge, Iron, etc.):
1. Open a Chromium-based browser to an AI site:
   a. <https://gemini.google.com/app>
   b. <https://chat.openai.com>
   c. <https://copilot.microsoft.com>
2. Click the top-right 3-dot menu > More tools > Create shortcut
3. Check the box [x]Open as window
4. Name the shortcut (e.g., Gemini, GPT, Copilot)
5. Right-click the new desktop shortcut > Pin to taskbar
6. Optionally, save the shortcut in your default shortcut 
   folder (if you maintain one) for potential future use.

Mozilla-based browsers only (e.g., Firefox):
1. Open a Mozilla-based browser (e.g., Firefox) to an AI site:
   a. <https://gemini.google.com/app>
   b. <https://chat.openai.com>
   c. <https://copilot.microsoft.com>
2. Right-click on the page or address bar > "Save Page As..."
3. Choose ¡Web Page, HTML only¢ or similar option 
   (depending on browser version) & save to desktop
4. Name the shortcut (e.g., Gemini, GPT, Copilot)
5. Right-click the new shortcut > Pin to taskbar
6. Optionally, save the shortcut in your default shortcut 
   folder (if you maintain one) for potential future use.

Technical Implication: 
When I save a Firefox HTML page and then try to "Pin to taskbar," 
Windows seems to treat it as a data file, and clicking it might 
open it in your default browser, but it won't launch it as an 
"app-like" window, nor does it seem to show the desired site's 
favicon. It will likely show the default browser icon.

Hence, if you're using Firefox, this method is generally not 
the preferred way to create a functional "shortcut" icon for 
a website in Firefox for taskbar pinning. 

The "Native Shortcut Method" is much more robust for Firefox.

==============================
B. Native Shortcut Method 
==============================

Chromium-based browsers only!
1. Right-click on your desktop > New > Shortcut
2. Paste one of the following into the location field:
   a. "C:\path\to\chrome.exe" --profile-directory="Default"
--app=https://gemini.google.com
   b. "C:\path\to\chrome.exe" --profile-directory="Default"
--app=https://chat.openai.com
   c. "C:\path\to\chrome.exe" --profile-directory="Default"
--app=https://copilot.microsoft.com
3. Name the shortcut (e.g., Gemini, GPT, Copilot)
4. Right-click the new shortcut > Pin to taskbar
5. Optionally, save the shortcut in your default shortcut 
   folder (if you maintain one) for potential future use.


Mozilla-based browsers only!
1. Right-click desktop > New > Shortcut
2. Enter the path to the executable & to the URL
   a. "C:\path\firefox.exe" https://gemini.google.com/app
   b. "C:\path\firefox.exe" https://chat.openai.com
   c. "C:\path\firefox.exe" https://copilot.microsoft.com
3. Name the shortcut (e.g., Gemini, GPT, Copilot)
4. Right-click the new shortcut > Pin to taskbar
5. Optionally, save the shortcut in your default shortcut 
   folder (if you maintain one) for potential future use.

Note the simpler Firefox method will open a full browser 
window with all the UI elements (address bar, tabs), unlike 
the --app flag in Chromium which creates an app-like window. 
This is a limitation of Firefox's native command-line 
options for this use case, AFIK. If you know a good way 
around this Firefox limitation, please update the tutorial!

============================
C. Customize Shortcut Icons
============================
1. Open any browser to <https://images.google.com>
2. Search for a relevant icon:
   a. gemini ai chat
      <https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=gemini+ai+chat>
   b. chatgpt ai chat
      <https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=chatgpt+ai+chat>
   c. copilot ai chat
      <https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=copilot+ai+chat>
3. Press [Print Screen] & paste (control+V) into IrfanView
4. Squarecrop the page to just one icon you like best
5. Save the square crop result as an .ico file
6. Right-click the shortcut > Properties > Change icon
7. Browse to the .ico file & apply

As always, since this is an ad hoc tutorial written expressly to be 
helpful to others, feel free to share improvements so everyone can benefit.