Although there is a Facebook app for Windows 8.1, you cannot create a shortcut to it from the desktop because it is a Windows Store app and not a desktop program. The alternative is to create a shortcut to the Facebook website on your desktop, which appears as an icon of your default browser. To change the default browser icon to a Facebook icon, you need to download a free Facebook icon from an applicable free icon website, then use the shortcut's Change Icon feature to replace the default icon with the Facebook icon.
Create a Shortcut to Facebook
Step 1
Right-click on an empty area of your PC's desktop, then choose "New" from the menu.
Step 2
Select "Shortcut" from the sub-menu, then enter the full Facebook URL in the open field.
Step 3
Click the "Next" button, then type "Facebook" in the open field.
Step 4
Click the "Finish" button to create the shortcut to Facebook.
Add the Facebook Icon
Step 1
Open a new browser window, then browse to a website that offers Facebook icons free of charge. Findicons.com, iconarchive.com and findicons.com are examples of websites that offer free Facebook icons.
Step 2
Enter "Facebook" in the website's Search box, then scroll through the Facebook icons until you find one that you like. Select the icon, click "Download ICO," and then save the file to your hard drive. You need to use the ICO image file format because it is the format that Microsoft Windows uses for icons.
Step 3
Right-click the shortcut to the Facebook website on your desktop, then choose "Properties" from the menu.
Step 4
Click the "Web Document" tab, then click the "Change Icon" button to open the Change Icon window.
Step 5
Click the "Browse" button, then browse to the Facebook icon you previously downloaded. Unless you changed the default location where Windows stores file downloads, you can find the icon in the Downloads folder.
Step 6
Double-click the Facebook icon and it appears in the Change Icon window.
Step 7
Click the "OK" button, then click "Apply" to change the generic shortcut icon to the Facebook icon.
Tip
You can pin the Facebook Windows Store app to the taskbar for one-click access. The taskbar is available on any screen, such as an open Windows Store app or the desktop. If the Facebook app is currently open, right-click the Facebook taskbar button, then select "Pin This Program to the Taskbar." If the Facebook app is not open, browse to the app from the Start screen. Right-click "Facebook," then select "Pin to Taskbar."
Facebook is also available as an application for mobile devices, such as an iPad or an Android phone. You can download the app from your device's App Store.
Warning
Information in this article applies to Windows 8.1 Update. Instructions may vary slightly or significantly with other versions and products.
- Microsoft Windows: Add Icons to the Desktop or Taskbar
- Microsoft Developer Network: Icons
- Microsoft Windows: Download Files From the Web
- Microsoft Support: How to Create Software Shortcut Methods in the Desktop Mode of Windows 8?
- Syracuse University Trac Help: How to Create a TRACFED Internet Shortcut on Your Desktop (Windows Users)
- Findicons: Facebook Icons
- IconsPedia: Facebook Icons
- IconArchive: Facebook Icons
- Microsoft Windows: How to Use the Taskbar
- Microsoft Windows: Desktop
- Facebook: Facebook Mobile