SharePoint HomePage is downloading the url instead of opening it up.

[Deleted]

I created a list of links that I want my SharePoint modern site to navigate to when I visit the site/homepage. The list of links also resides on the SharePoint site. However, when I click my homepage or type in my url, it prompts be to download the .url file instead of navigating the user to that page. 

How do I fix it so clicking the Home Page will navigate to the .url instead of prompting my users to download the link the webpage?

[#2]

So did you create a document library and using the New > Link option? Or did you actually create a custom list to hold the links?

Based on the download seems you used a library instead? That's expected behavior if so, you'll want to look at using a quick links webpart, or even a text webpart with Hyperlinks to achieve that on a page.

[#3]

I created the link list by clicking New > App and then found the list of links app. 

I really wanted to just get people to go to the list of links from going to the HomePage. If I use text or the quick links, it just seems like they're jumping through an extra hoop to get to the list of links.

[#4]

I'm confused, what is it your actually trying to do? Trying to keep them from going to the homepage to access these links?

[#5]

It seems to me you are creating a link in a list/doc library. which ends up to a link in it. When you click it starts downloading the page instead of opening it.

I must say i do reconize this behaivor as in it downloads the URL instead of opening.

Especially using search. This is as far as i know default behavior

[#6]

I want the landing page to the website to be a list of links to a specific set of document libraries on the SharePoint. So the idea is that when they're navigating the site, they'll go to the homepage which will redirect them to a list of links.

[#7]

I still don't understand why you are skipping the home page of the site when you can just make your homepage a page with links, quick links, hero web part of links etc. etc. ?

[#8]

You're right - I could, but I just wanted a simple list with maybe a description attached without images. Hero Pages have images, Quick Links have images. I just thought using a list of links was the most elegant solution to doing this.

[#9]

Have you tried a custom list? Create one with just a Hyperlink column, and description column, then edit the view to remove the title, and add the list webpart selecting that list. that will give you a clickable URL Link with description.

[#10]

@Deleted I think what he's trying to point out is that a URL object stored in a Document library web-part added to a page behaves differently to how it behaves if you are just looking at the full document library. In the web-part it prompts to download the URL. If you click it from the full document library page it opens the link in the browser.

RT

[#11]

@Robin Thakur yes! Any updates on if there are ways to change this behavior?

[#12]

@ShervinS None that I've found no, this seems like a bug though.

[#13]

Re-assuring that this bug has been noticed since ‎04-03-2018 and still not fixed!

[#14]

@ShervinS I am running into the same problem. Trying to insert a link to an item (URL) and the location of the item is within a links list (library). When I click the link on the webpage after inserting and saving, it opens the Item Properties page for the item and makes me click on the URL shown there.  I don't want to do two steps!  I am guessing you haven't found a solution??

[#15]

@jsimms It's a bug! Please go upvote this feature here: https://sharepoint.uservoice.com/forums/329214-sites-and-collaboration/suggestions/37373770-the-docu...

And check out MSFT response here: 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_sharepoint-mso_win10-mso_o365b/sharepoin...

[#16]

@ShervinS Thank you.  I went to Upvote and voted!!  I hope it helps!

[#17]

Hi there!

I see this is an old thread, but for posterity's sake I would like to share my workaround (note that I'm using SharePoint 365 (online).

1. Navigate to Site Pages then click the settings (cog) button in the top right and choose Library settings. 
2. Under Content Types click Add from existing site content types.
3. Add "Link to a Document".
4. Refresh your Site Pages. Then Select New > Link to a document. Add your URL and description.
5. Click the 3 dots next to your new Site Page and select Make homepage.
6. Click Publish.

And voila, hopefully this will now make your Document Library/whatever your new homepage!

[#18]

@AdamEvans 

I am having this issue.  I have several Sharepoint sites that I am following on my homepage. Only one isn't working where it downloads a "404 not found" instead of navigating to the site. Even if I manually paste the url into a browser is just downloads another "404 not found" doc and never navigates to the site. I can however use the search bar to access my documents on the site but managing the site or site documents is impossible. Please help. Here is the link I'm trying to access Edgewood FDLGroup .