Editing or updating URL of link file saved in Sharepoint document library

[WayneKark]

I have a modern Sharepoint document library in which I have created a lot of links to pages on external websites. I have been trying to find a way to edit/update the URL of those links without losing the metadata. There does not appear to be any way of doing this directly in Sharepoint, short of deleting the link (and all its metadata) and creating a new link 

I have found and tried a couple of suggested solutions online: 

• Sync or download the link file to a local folder, edit the URL for the shortcut file in Windows, and then resync/upload to Sharepoint overwriting the original file 

• Use PowerAutomate (Update File operation) to change the URL by updating the link file contents

I have used both methods, and in both cases appear to successfully update the file content of the shortcut/link file, but the updated file doesn't work in Sharepoint. If I download the updated link file and open it on my desktop, the shortcut works perfectly, directing me to the updated URL. However, opening the updated link directly in Sharepoint takes me to the original URL. It doesn't make sense to me that the same file behaves differently depending on whether it is opened in Sharepoint or on the desktop.

Can anybody explain what is going on, and how I go about fixing this?

[#2]

Hello @WayneKark 

fully agree, it's a weird behaviour. I have reported this to Microsoft.

I use often the option one, and it works fine. In your case it looks like that the file is not overwritten online. Please check again or delete the file and upload them new.

Best, Dave

[#3]

Hi David,
How can I report this to Microsoft? I feel that this should be something available out of the box (OOB) and straightforward to edit any link created in a SharePoint library.

Rgds,
Rakesh

[#4]

Hello @rakesh_mohanty 

you can create a m365 ms ticket (but i think it's by design) or create or/and vote in User Voice: https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback

Best, Dave

[#5]

@WayneKark did you find a solution? I am having the same issue. 

[#6]

We have also noticed this behaviour. The fact you can download the file and it opens perfectly doesn't lend to the view that this is by design. It feels like a bug.

Regardless, I have submitted an idea if anybody wishes to upvote it.
https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/8dc61bbc-baf2-ee11-a73d-6045bd7e894e

[#7]

I'm afraid not. Still banging my head against a brick wall.