How to Create Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows

Keyboard shortcuts are the secret to working faster and more efficiently on your computer. While you likely use standard shortcuts like Ctrl + C (copy) and Ctrl + V (paste) every day, Windows also allows you to create keyboard shortcuts to launch your favorite applications, files, and folders instantly.

This guide will walk you through the best methods to set up your own custom hotkeys, from the simple built-in approach to powerful free tools that offer ultimate control. I’ve used these techniques for years to streamline my own workflow, and the time you save by launching a frequently used program with a single key press adds up quickly.

Method 1: The Built-in Way (For Applications, Files, and Folders)

This is the most straightforward method and works directly out of the box in Windows. It relies on creating a desktop shortcut first and is perfect for launching your most-used programs.

Step 1: Create a Shortcut on Your Desktop

First, you need a shortcut icon for the item you want to open.

• For an Application:
  1. Click the Start Menu and find the application you want (e.g., Microsoft Word, Google Chrome).
  2. Click and drag the application’s icon from the Start Menu and drop it directly onto your desktop. This creates a shortcut.
• For a File or Folder:
  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the file or folder.
  2. Right-click on the item.
  3. Select Show more options (in Windows 11), then go to Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).

You should now have a new shortcut icon on your desktop.

Step 2: Assign the Keyboard Shortcut

Now you can assign a key combination to this shortcut.

1. Right-click on the new shortcut icon you just created.
2. Select Properties from the menu.
3. In the Properties window, make sure you are in the Shortcut tab.
4. Click inside the Shortcut key: text box. It will currently say “None.”
5. Press the key you want to use in your combination. For example, press the C key. Windows will automatically set the shortcut to Ctrl + Alt + C.
   • Important Note: Windows forces the Ctrl + Alt prefix for this method to prevent conflicts with its own built-in shortcuts.
6. Click Apply, then OK.

You can now press your new key combination (e.g., Ctrl + Alt + C) at any time to launch that program or open that file. Interestingly, you can even delete the desktop icon after setting this up, and the keyboard shortcut will continue to work.

Method 2: The Power User’s Choice – Microsoft PowerToys

The built-in method is good, but it’s limited. For more power and flexibility, Microsoft PowerToys is a fantastic, free utility that supercharges your Windows experience. Its Keyboard Manager lets you create any shortcut you want without the Ctrl + Alt limitation.

Step 1: Install Microsoft PowerToys

• You can easily install PowerToys for free directly from the Microsoft Store. Open the store, search for “PowerToys,” and click Install.

Step 2: Open the Keyboard Manager

1. Launch PowerToys from your Start Menu.
2. In the PowerToys menu on the left, click on Keyboard Manager.
3. Make sure the Enable Keyboard Manager switch is toggled on.
4. Click on Remap a shortcut.

Step 3: Create Your Custom Shortcut

1. In the “Remap shortcuts” window, click the + Add shortcut remapping button.
2. In the “Shortcut:” section on the left, define the hotkey you want to press. Click Select and press your desired key combination on your keyboard (e.g., Win + N).
3. In the “Action:” section on the right, choose what you want the shortcut to do. To launch a program, select Start a program from the dropdown menu.
4. In the box that appears, you can either type the path to the application’s executable file or click Browse to find it. For example, to open Notepad, you would browse to C:\Windows\System32\notepad.exe.
5. Click OK at the top of the window to save your new mapping.

Your powerful, custom shortcut is now active. Using PowerToys allows you to create more intuitive hotkeys and manage them all from one clean interface.

Method 3: The Ultimate Customization Tool – AutoHotkey

For users who want the absolute maximum control, AutoHotkey is the ultimate solution. It’s a free, open-source scripting language that allows you to automate nearly anything in Windows. While it requires writing a few lines of simple code, it’s surprisingly easy to get started.

Step 1: Install AutoHotkey

• Go to the official AutoHotkey website (www.autohotkey.com) and download the current version. Follow the simple installation prompts.

Step 2: Create a New AutoHotkey Script

1. Navigate to your desktop or any folder.
2. Right-click on an empty space.
3. Select New > AutoHotkey Script.
4. Give the new file a name, like “MyShortcuts”. It will have an .ahk file extension.

Step 3: Write Your Shortcut Command

1. Right-click your new .ahk script file and choose Edit script. This will open the file in a text editor like Notepad.
2. Delete any default text in the file.
3. Now, write your command using this simple syntax: YourShortcut::Run, “Action”
   • # stands for the Win key
   • ^ stands for Ctrl
   • ! stands for Alt
   • + stands for Shift

Example 1: Launch File Explorer with Win + E

Code snippet

#e::Run, “explorer.exe”

Example 2: Launch a website with Ctrl + Alt + G

Code snippet

^!g::Run, “https://www.google.com”

1. Save the file and close the text editor.

Step 4: Run Your Script

• Double-click your .ahk script file. You’ll see a green “H” icon appear in your system tray (bottom-right of your screen), which means your shortcuts are now active.
• To ensure your shortcuts are always available, you can place the script file (or a shortcut to it) in your Windows Startup folder.

By choosing the method that best suits your needs, you can create keyboard shortcuts that save you countless clicks and make your time on Windows significantly more productive.