How to Create Keyboard Shortcuts for Launching Apps in Windows 10

After using your computer for some time, you realize that there are specific apps that you use more frequently. It becomes tedious to keep searching for the program icon every time you need to launch an app. In this step by step tutorial, you will learn three ways of setting up keyboard shortcuts to help navigate your computer easily.

Prerequisites

For this tutorial, you will only need:

Computer with a working keyboard. (A peripheral keyboard also works perfectly)

Method #1 Pinning Application on The Taskbar.

The taskbar is the bottom bar that has the windows button and the search button. To pin an application on the taskbar, you first need to ensure that the app is running. You then need to locate the app’s icon on the taskbar and right click on it. You then need to select the option ‘pin to the taskbar’. Once you close the application, you will notice that the program’s icon is pinned onto the taskbar. If you have been pinning your favorite apps on your taskbar, then you have already created some shortcuts!

In the illustration above, we can open the Internet Explorer by pressing ‘Windows button +1’. Therefore, to open your pinned program, you need to count from Internet Explorer. If the program is in the fifth position, where Internet Explorer is number 1, then your shortcut is ‘Windows button + 5’.

Method #2: Programs with A Shortcut on The Desktop.

This method is applicable to applications that are on your desktop.

Step 1

Right click on the program icon and choose properties.

Step 2

On the panel that appears, Change the top bar to ‘shortcut.’

Step 3

Under Shortcut key, choose a letter of choice. In the example below, I chose letter ‘C’ hence the shortcut ‘CTRL + ALT + C’.

Click on Apply then OK to exit.

You have successfully made a keyboard shortcut for a desktop application.

Method #3: Programs without desktop icons

This method is best applicable for programs that do not have desktop shortcuts.

Step 1

Click on the Windows button and find an app you want to make a shortcut for. For the illustration below, NetBeans was used. You then need to right-click on the application and choose ‘More’. Finally, select ‘Open file location’ as shown in the image below:

Step 2

You will be redirected to the location of the app’s location. Right click on the shortcut then select ‘properties’ as illustrated below.

Step 3

Follow steps 2 & 3 of method #2.

Conclusion.

If you followed this step by step tutorial, you should be able to make keyboard shortcuts for launching your favorite programs in Windows 10.