Custom Hotkeys in Windows 10
The ability to create your own custom hotkeys is one of Windows 10’s most powerful features. The operating system is well-known for its customizations, which make the user experience more personalized, such as the ability to add new shortcuts to the context menu. Using various hotkeys allows you to start programs, load websites, and perform a variety of other tasks with a single keystroke. In Windows 10, there are several built-in keyboard shortcut options, as well as powerful third-party tools that will provide you with additional options. This article will teach you how to use both methods to create customized Windows 10 hotkeys.
Adding Hotkeys to Desktop Shortcuts in Programs and Folders
- Let’s start with one of the most basic approaches to adding hotkeys. Any software or website shortcut on the Desktop can be assigned a hotkey.
- Right-click the desktop icon of the application or the folder and choose Properties from the menu that appears.
- Select the Shortcuts tab.
- Enter a new keyboard shortcut for the program or folder in the Shortcut key box. To create a new hotkey, simply enter a letter there. Keep in mind that the shortcut will be the letter followed by Ctrl + Alt. If you type “I,” the keyboard shortcut is Ctrl + Alt + I. You can also enter one of the function keys (F1 through F12 on most keyboards) while the focus is in the shortcut key text box by pressing it.
- To close the window, select Apply and then OK.
- Press your newly set hotkey to test it. It will launch the program or folder that you have specified.