How To Make Shortcuts & Hotkeys

Making Shortcuts & Hotkeys

Shortcuts and hotkeys can be used to access files, folders, and programs on your computer. A shortcut is like the items on your desktop and in your start menu. A hotkey is a combination of keys that you can press to access a file, folder, or program. For example, lets say you put all of your music in one folder called My Music on your computer. You can make a shortcut for that folder, and put it on your desktop. That way, all you have to do is go to your desktop and hit enter on it to open that folder and access your music files. You can also assign a hotkey to that folder. For example, you could assign alt control M is your hotkey for that folder. That means when you hold down the alt and control keys and hit the letter M, this folder will automatically open up and you would be able to access your music files. Below are the steps for making shortcuts and hotkeys for files, folders, and programs.

Making a Shortcut

Most programs automatically create shortcuts for the desktop and start menu during its installation. But if you have a file or folder that you would like to put a shortcut for on the desktop or start menu, then follow the instructions below.

1. Locate the file or folder on your computer that you want to make a shortcut for.
2. Hit the applications key.
3. Arrow down to send to submenu and hit enter.
4. Arrow down to desktop (create shortcut), and hit enter.
5. The shortcut has been created and placed on your desktop. The name of the shortcut on your desktop will be something like Shortcut to file or folder name.
6. To change the name of your new shortcut, go to the shortcut on your desktop.
7. Hit f2.
8. This will put you in an edit box with the name of the shortcut. Just type in the name you want to call the shortcut, and hit enter.
9. Unless you want to take the shortcut and put it in your start menu, your done!
10. To put the shortcut in your start menu, hit the applications key when on the shortcut.
11. Arrow down to either cut or copy, depending if you want to put a copy in your start menu, or if you want to totally move it to your start menu, then hit enter.
12. Go to my computer and hit enter.
13. Arrow down to your local drive, or C drive, and hit enter.
14. If you are running windows 98, hit the letter W until you hear windows and hit enter. Then hit the letter S until you hear start menu and hit enter. Then hit P for programs and hit enter. Now, hit control V to paste the shortcut in the programs section of the start menu. Now go to step 16.
15. If you are running Windows XP, hit the letter D until you hear Documents and Settings and hit enter. Then either arrow down to your user name or all users and hit enter. Then hit the letter S until you hear start menu and hit enter. Then hit P for Programs and hit enter. Now, hit control V to paste the shortcut in the programs section of the start menu.
16. Your done, your shortcut has been added to your start menu.

Making hotkeys

In order to make a hotkey, you must first have a shortcut to the file, folder, or program. To make a hotkey for a file, folder, or program, do the following:

1. Locate the shortcut for the file, folder, or program you are wanting to make a hotkey.
2. Hit alt enter on the shortcut.
3. This will bring up the properties for that particular shortcut. You should land in the shortcuts tab.
4. Tab until you hear, shortcut key: hotkey, and it should be set to none.
5. Now the default two keys that are used are the alt and control keys. All you have to do is hit which letter you want to use with these keys.
6. For example, most people use alt control J for a hotkey for Jaws for Windows.
7. So all you would do is hit the letter J. The alt control are automatic.
8. After choosing and hitting your letter, tab to the OK button and hit the space bar.
9. Your done. Sometimes you have to restart your computer to use the new set hotkey.