How to Create Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 10

Any time you open a Windows app by rolling your mouse pointer over to an icon or lift your finger up and tapping on a tile, you’re wasting time and putting unnecessary strain on your shoulder. The fastest and least physically-taxing way to launch any program is with a keyboard shortcut you can hit without even lifting your hands off of the homerow. Windows 10 allows you to create custom shortcuts for any program, whether it’s a traditional «desktop» app, a new-fangled «universal app» or one of Windows 8’s «metro apps.» Here’s how.

Method 1: Create a Desktop Shortcut

1. Open a command prompt window. You can get there by typing «cmd» into the Cortana / Search box and then right clicking on Command Prompt and selecting «Run as administrator.»

2. Type «explorer shell:AppsFolder» (without quotes) at the command prompt and hit Enter. A window with a list of all your apps appears.

3. Right click on an app and select Create shortcut. It may be easier to find your app if you change the view setting to «detailed list» so you can see all the icons in a single column.

4. Click Yes when asked if you want the shortcut on the desktop. A new shortcut icon appears on your desktop.

5. Right click on the new shortcut icon and select Properties.

6. Enter a key combination in the Shortcut key field. The combination must be CTRL + ALT + a letter / number.

7. Click OK.

Note: Remember not to use the same key combination twice. Also note that some programs use CTRL + ALT + keyboard shortcuts that would also launch if you were in their windows. For example, in Photoshop Elements, CTRL + ALT + I brings up the resize menu.

Method 2: Use the Start Menu

If you’re creating a keyboard shortcut for a «desktop app,» any application that installs via direct download rather than Windows Store alone, you can create the shortcut directly from the Start Menu. By using this method, you can avoid creating a separate shortcut icon on the desktop.

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. Navigate to the icon or tile for the app you want. If the app is not pinned as a tile, you can find it by clicking on the All apps and scrolling through the alphabetical list.

3. Right click and select Open file location. A window opens with a shortcut icon. If Open file location doesn’t appear on the menu, this is a modern or universal app and you’ll have to follow method 1 above.

4. Right click on the shortcut icon and select Properties.

5. Enter a key combination in the «Shortcut key» box.

Customize keyboard shortcuts

You can customize keyboard shortcuts (or shortcut keys) by assigning them to a command, macro, font, style, or frequently used symbol. You can also remove keyboard shortcuts. You can assign or remove keyboard shortcuts by using a mouse or just the keyboard.

Use a mouse to assign or remove a keyboard shortcut

Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon.

At the bottom of the Customize the Ribbon and keyboard shortcuts pane, select Customize.

In the Save changes in box, select the current document name or template that you want to save the keyboard shortcut changes in.

In the Categories box, select the category that contains the command or other item that you want to assign a keyboard shortcut to or remove a keyboard shortcut from.

In the Commands box, select the name of the command or other item that you want to assign a keyboard shortcut to or remove a keyboard shortcut from.

Any keyboard shortcuts that are currently assigned to that command or other item appear in the Current keys box, or below the box with the label Currently assigned to.

To assign a keyboard shortcut do the following:

Begin keyboard shortcuts with CTRL or a function key.

In the Press new shortcut key box, press the combination of keys that you want to assign. For example, press CTRL plus the key that you want to use.

Look at Current keys (or Currently assigned to) to see whether the combination of keys is already assigned to a command or other item. If the combination is already assigned, type a different combination.

Important: Reassigning a combination of keys means that you can no longer use the combination for its original purpose. For example, pressing CTRL+B changes selected text to bold. If you reassign CTRL+B to a new command or other item, you will not be able to make text bold by pressing CTRL+B unless you restore the keyboard shortcut assignments to their original settings by selecting Reset All at the bottom of the Customize Keyboard dialog box.

Note: If you use a programmable keyboard, the key combination CTRL+ALT+F8 might already be reserved for initiating keyboard programming.

Remove a keyboard shortcut

In the Current keys box, select the keyboard shortcut that you want to remove.

Use just the keyboard to assign or remove a keyboard shortcut

Press ALT+F, T to open the Word Options dialog box.

Press DOWN ARROW to select Customize Ribbon.

Press the TAB key repeatedly until Customize is selected at the bottom of the dialog box, and then press ENTER.

In the Categories box, press DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW to select the category that contains the command or other item that you want to assign a keyboard shortcut to or remove a keyboard shortcut from.

Press the TAB key to move to the Commands box.

Press DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW to select the name of the command or other item that you want to assign a keyboard shortcut to or remove a keyboard shortcut from.

Any keyboard shortcuts that are currently assigned to that command or item appear in the Current keys box, or below the box with the label Currently assigned to.

To assign a keyboard shortcut do the following:

Begin keyboard shortcuts with CTRL or a function key.

Press the TAB key repeatedly until the cursor is in the Press new shortcut key box.

Press the combination of keys that you want to assign. For example, press CTRL plus the key that you want to use.

Look at Current keys (or Currently assigned to) to see whether the combination of keys is already assigned to a command or other item. If the combination is already assigned, type a different combination.

Important: Reassigning a combination of keys means that you can no longer use the combination for its original purpose. For example, pressing CTRL+B changes selected text to bold. If you reassign CTRL+B to a new command or other item, you will not be able to make text bold by pressing CTRL+B unless you restore the keyboard shortcut assignments to their original settings by selecting Reset All at the bottom of the Customize Keyboard dialog box.

Press the TAB key repeatedly until the Save changes in box is selected.

Press DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW to highlight the current document name or template in which you want to save the keyboard shortcut changes, and then press ENTER.

Press the TAB key repeatedly until Assign is selected, and then press ENTER.

Note: If you use a programmable keyboard, the key combination CTRL+ALT+F8 might already be reserved for initiating keyboard programming.

To remove a keyboard shortcut

Press the TAB key repeatedly until the Save changes in box is selected.

Press DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW to highlight the current document name or template in which you want to save the keyboard shortcut changes, and then press ENTER.

Press the SHIFT+TAB key repeatedly until the cursor is in the Current keys box.

Press DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW to select the keyboard shortcut that you want to remove.

Press the TAB key repeatedly until Remove is selected, and then press ENTER.

Become a Windows whiz by creating your own keyboard shortcuts

May we present: the keys to productivity.

By David Nield November 12, 2020

Knowing the right keyboard shortcuts can make a big difference in how quickly you can get stuff done—and if the hotkeys you need aren’t available, it’s not difficult to create your own.

Whether you need to launch a specific application regularly, have a folder you need quick access to, or want to enable a particular tool, you can set up a keyboard combination to help.

But before you start experimenting with new Windows shortcuts, it’s a good idea to learn the ones that already exist. You might find that what you’re looking for is already available, but you’ll also ensure your new combos don’t duplicate those that are already set up.

We’ve previously covered some of our favorite picks, from Win+D to show or hide the desktop to Ctrl+W to close windows and tabs, but Microsoft also has a comprehensive list of shortcuts for you to refer to.

Feel like an expert now? Good. It’s time to make your own.

Create keyboard shortcuts with Windows

Building a new keyboard shortcut to a program, file, or folder in Windows is easy. In File Explorer, right-click on whatever you want to open with your keyboard combination, and choose Create shortcut.

A new icon will appear, which is the shortcut to the program, file, or folder—it’s not a keyboard shortcut yet. It’s the sort of shortcut you’d find on your desktop, linked to an application or a folder deeper within the operating system. Double-clicking this new icon will open up whatever you’ve linked to.

The trick is that this newly created shortcut can be assigned a shortcut key as well. Right-click on it and choose Properties, then Shortcut. Click in the box marked Shortcut key, then press your choice of keys to assign them (they should appear in the box). Click OK to confirm your choice.

Pressing your new combination of keys will launch whatever file, folder, or program you selected, saving you a trip to the Start menu or the taskbar.

You need to be careful not to duplicate other key combinations from Windows, or the apps you use, as you won’t get a warning if there’s a duplicate—it’ll just do what it was originally assigned to do. You’ll also need to use a couple of modifier keys (Shift, Ctrl, or Alt) in your combination to tell Windows that you want to activate a shortcut—you can’t just hit “s” and have Spotify launch itself, for example.

Create keyboard shortcuts with third-party programs

A handful of third-party programs will help you create custom keyboard shortcuts for Windows. WinHotKey is an older one, but it’s easy to use, still works fine on Windows 10, and won’t cost you anything.

With the program loaded on screen, click New Hotkey to configure your new shortcut. The next screen will let you specify a key combination—which must include Shift, Alt, Ctrl, or the Windows key—and then associate an action with it. Each shortcut can open a file or a folder, or launch a program.

AutoHotKey is a newer, more advanced shortcut creator, and it’s also free to use. It requires a bit more investment in terms of time and thought, but it lets you create more complex shortcuts for typing out fragments of text (like typing “tks” to tell someone “thanks a lot,”) and putting messages on screen (like a dialog box with the date), as well as launching specific apps, files, and folders.

You’ll need to create scripts by right-clicking on the desktop and choosing New, then AutoHotKey Script. These contain the code necessary for your shortcuts to work on Windows in response to your key presses, like making sure the “run” command launches programs and the “send” command types text.

Don’t worry if this sounds overwhelming—when you use AutoHotKey for the first time, you’ll be met with a brief tutorial that will guide you through some basic scripts. All the documentation you’ll need is also available online.

It doesn’t take long to grasp the basics, and once you do, you’ll be able to conduct a whole host of actions with just your fingers and keys.

Create keyboard shortcuts from inside your applications

You can add even more personalized keyboard shortcuts within many of the applications you use regularly. This option won’t be available in every program, but quite a few apps offer it, so it’s worth checking.

Microsoft Word, for example, includes the feature. With a document open in Word, choose File, Options, Customize Ribbon, and then Customize (next to “Keyboard shortcuts”) to start adding new ones. Use the Save changes in box to keep new shortcuts specific to a document or template, or just leave the default Normal.dotm value there to apply your changes to all future documents based on the default template.

You’ll see a list of commands available in Word, and creating keyboard shortcuts for them is as simple as selecting them from the list and hitting your preferred combination of keys. If the shortcut is already linked to a command, Word will tell you with a popup dialog box that also lets you disable existing shortcuts and add new ones.

Adobe Photoshop is another program that lets you customize keyboard shortcuts. Open the Edit menu and choose Keyboard Shortcuts to get started, or make use of the keyboard shortcut for the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog—it’s Alt+Shift+Ctrl+K.

You can set shortcuts for menu items, opening panels in the interface, and switching to specific tools—just select one of these entries in the list on screen, then click Add Shortcut, and press your chosen key combination. If you pick a shortcut that already exists, Photoshop will warn you (and switch the shortcut, if you want it to).