How to create a Windows shortcut

Description: Description: The Microsoft Windows logo.

Shortcuts are a great way to quickly access programs, files, folders, and even web pages. They can be conveniently placed on your desktop or in certain directories or folders. There are a few methods used to achieve these results. To proceed, make your selection from the list below follow the steps below.

Create a shortcut using Microsoft's wizard

This method allows users to create shortcuts on the Windows desktop or in a folder.

1.     Right-click a blank space on the Windows desktop, a folder, or in a directory.

2.     Move your mouse cursor over New in the drop-down menu that appears.

Description: Description: The selector to create a new item in Windows.

3.     Then select Shortcut.

Description: Description: The selector to create a shortcut in Windows.

4.     On the Create Shortcut window, click the Description: Description: The Browse button in Windows. button.

5.     Locate the program for which you'd like to create a shortcut (A), and then click OK (B).

Description: Description: The menu in which users may create a desktop shortcut.

6.     Click the Description: Description: The next button. button.

7.     Type in a name for the shortcut, then click the Description: Description: The finish button in Windows. button.

Tip

You can pin a desktop shortcut for a program to the taskbar by dragging and dropping it there.

Create a shortcut from a folder

1.     Open the Windows File Explorer by pressing the Windows key and E at the same time.

2.     Browse to the folder that contains the program for which you'd like to create a shortcut.

3.     Right-click on the program and select Create Shortcut from the drop-down menu that appears.

Description: Description: The selector used to create a shortcut in Microsoft Windows.

4.     Doing so creates a shortcut named "<selected program's name> - Shortcut" in the current directory.

Tip

If you want to rename this shortcut, right-click the file and select Rename.

5.     Once the steps above have been completed, you can right-click the shortcut to copy or cut it, and then paste it to another location.