Here we’ll take you through how to assign a keyboard shortcut to a shortcut on your desktop, the Start menu, and the Taskbar. The method for each is quite similar with only a few steps specific to the latter two.
1. How to Assign a Keyboard Shortcut to a Shortcut on the Desktop
The best way to improve productivity is to navigate using as few keystrokes as possible. One way to do that is by setting up keyboard shortcuts.
If you’re interested, check out our ultimate guide to Windows keyboard shortcuts. And launching your most used programs with a combination of easily accessible keys should help you get more done quickly.
Once you’ve settled on which program you want to assign a keyboard shortcut to, do the following.
Right-click on the program shortcut and select Properties. Under the Shortcut tab, in the Shortcut key field, simply type the shortcut you want to assign to the program and click the OK button.
Now when you enter the shortcut key, the program will launch.
2. How to Assign a Keyboard Shortcut to a Shortcut in the Start Menu
The process is pretty much the same here, with a few extra steps.
Open the Start menu. Find the item to which you want to assign a keyboard shortcut. Right-click it and go to More > Open file location. Right-click on the shortcut and select Properties. In the Shortcut key field, add the keyboard shortcut you want to attach to the program.
3. How to Set up a Keyboard Shortcut for a Shortcut on the Taskbar
Creating a keyboard shortcut for an item on your taskbar is easy. Here’s how to do it.
Right-click on an item appearing on the Taskbar. Right-click on the program and click on Properties. Add a keyboard shortcut to the Shortcut key field.
4. How to Remove Previously Assigned Keyboard Shortcuts
To remove a keyboard shortcut, navigate to the program shortcut’s properties and delete the entry in the Shortcut key field. This should reset it to None and remove the associated keyboard shortcut.
Make Your Work Even Quicker With Keyboard Shortcuts
Now that you have the shortcuts set up, navigating your apps should be a breeze. It doesn’t matter if it’s a shortcut or on the taskbar; you can launch it with a quick key combination and get your work done faster.
