Let's assume you're using Windows XP, and, like us monkeys at Pinkeye Graphics, you also use Googlemail or Gmail for email.

If so, you might well want to have a convenient shortcut to Gmail on your desktop - you know, just like the one that used to go to Outlook Express, all those years ago? In fact, for those changing over to Gmail from Outlook or a similar POP email client, having an email icon in the quick launch bar is a nice bit of comfort. Even if it just opens up a browser it still retains some of that offline look and feel which is reassuring and easy to use.

Find out below how to make this happen in a few brief clicks of the mouse.

Follow up:

There are two stages, and you don't even have to do the second one if you don't want to. Here's the first.

Making a shortcut to Gmail

You can put a shortcut to any webpage on your desktop or quick launch bar, so Gmail, being just a webpage, is a doddle. This will work with any website at all, but we're using Gmail as an example.

1. Go to your Google inbox using your browser of choice
2. Copy the text that is in the address bar
3. Go to the desktop and right-click, then choose New>Shortcut
4. Paste the webpage address you copied into the 'Create Shortcut' dialogue. Click 'next'
5. Type a name for the shortcut. 'Gmail' is the obvious one. Click 'Finish'.
6. The shortcut is now on your desktop. Leave it there, or we suggest drag it to the quick launch toolbar, and that's where it will stay.

That's the basic bit done. It will now work, and if you don't care how it looks stop now.

But there's more! Still want more? OK, here's the second part. You'll notice that the icon is not the nice Gmail icon that you usually see. So you'll want to change that.

Here's a file to download: Gmail icon file

1. Right-click on the icon file above. In IE, chose 'Save target as'; or in Firefox 'Save link as'. Other browsers have similar options.
2. Save the gmail1.ico file on your computer. Anywhere is fine but a good place is C:/windows/system32 on many Windows systems, as that's where a lot of other icon files live. This one's got a version of the icon for Gmail in it.
3. Right-click on your new shortcut and choose Properties>Change icon
4. Choose 'Browse...' and navigate to where you saved the gmail1.ico file
5. Select the file and you should see the icon. Choose it! Click OK and then OK again.

Your icon now has a real authentic Gmail look.