Files with the .LNK extension are references to different files, links, used within the Windows-family operating systems. The file contains information not only about the target file’s location, but also its type, its execution method, and, in the case of application shortcuts, sometimes also starting parameters. The files are the equivalents of aliases used in the Mac OS system.

A file link can be created in Windows by right-clicking the mouse on an icon and choosing the “Create shortcut” option. By default, the LNK file icon looks just like the target file’s icon, with the distinction that it has a little square with a curved arrow, which implies that the file is only a reference to a different file. In the Windows graphical interface, the LNK extensions are, by default, fully hidden – they can be made visible only by making changes to the registry.