Assigning a Shortcut Key to a Desktop Shortcut
In an effort to keep your hands on the keyboard as much as possible, you may find it convenient to assign shortcut keys to items on your desktop. The process is similar to assigning a shortcut key to any other item. Follow these steps:
- Make sure the icon for the desktop item is visible on the screen.
- Right-click the item. (Make sure the item you are right-clicking is a shortcut item.) Windows displays a Context menu.
- Select Properties from the Context menu. Windows displays the Shortcut Properties dialog box for the item.
- Make sure the Shortcut tab is displayed. (See Figure 1.)
Figure 1. Assigning a shortcut key to a desktop item.
- Click once in the Shortcut Key box.
- Press a letter or number key. Whatever key you press (such as the letter P) is automatically appended to the modifiers Ctrl+Alt to form the shortcut key.
- Click OK.
Now when I want to invoke my program, I can either double-click on the desktop shortcut's icon or I can just press Ctrl+Alt+P and up it comes. If I want to remove the shortcut key, I repeat the above steps, but in step 6 I press the Delete key.
Author Bio
Barry Dysert
Barry has been a computer professional for over 35 years, working in different positions such as technical team leader, project manager, and software developer. He is currently a software engineer with an emphasis on developing custom applications under Microsoft Windows. When not working with Windows or writing Tips, Barry is an amateur writer. His first non-fiction book is titled "A Chronological Commentary of Revelation." Learn more about Barry...
Deleting All Restore Points
If a hard drive is temporarily short on space, you may choose to delete its restore points to free up some room. This tip ...
Discover More
Renaming Multiple Files at the Same Time
It's possible to rename multiple files at the same time, but the new names of the files may leave a bit to be desired. ...
Discover More
What is Bluetooth?
Bluetooth is a popular technology that frees you from dealing with wires and cables, and it makes you a bit more mobile. ...
Discover More
Renaming Folders Pinned to Quick Access
The Quick Access folder in File Explorer has been around for a while now. In fact, I use it to begin almost all of my ...
Discover More
Swipe Your Text
Whether you're using a tablet PC or a desktop, there is a new way to enter text. Using the swipe keyboard found in ...
Discover More
Search the Web Using the Run Dialog Box
The Run dialog box allows you to quickly run or start a program using quick keystrokes. The Run dialog box can also help ...
Discover More
This tip (11721) applies to Windows 7, 8, and 10.
Comments