In the computer world, a keyboard shortcut is the use of one or more keys to perform an action or command. Often a keyboard shortcut is a combination of two or more keys pressed simultaneously. Keyboard shortcuts like Ctl+C et Ctl+V to copy and paste elements are often used.
At first glance, keyboard shortcuts are less intuitive than using the mouse, but they are very effective and time-saving. Shortcut keys can replace many actions performed with the mouse or keyboard.
Windows 10 and all software uses them for all sorts of common functions. The hardest part is remembering the actions associated with the keyboard shortcuts. Most of these shortcuts are universal and predefined. However, some apps allow you to customize them.
Use shortcuts for more productivity.
Few people know that it is possible in Windows to create keyboard shortcuts from scratch to open a program, a folder, a document or even a web page using a simple combination of keys. This is a very convenient method for quickly accessing frequently used items. The trick is to assign a keyboard shortcut to a combination of keys, a keyboard shortcut in the Windows sense, that is, a shortcut that refers to an element.
In all cases, the program, folder or document opens in a window when this combination is entered. On the other hand, a document, for example a text or a spreadsheet, opens by default in the software assigned to it.
The operation is done in two steps: first create a shortcut, if it does not already exist, and assign it a key combination. This applies to programs as well as folders, documents, text, PDFs and others. Just like for web pages.
How do I create a shortcut to a program, folder or file?
If the object you want to open with a shortcut already has a shortcut (eg a shortcut to a program on the Windows desktop), skip to the next step.
– Open an explorer window on your computer by typing Windows + E or by clicking on the explorer icon in the taskbar.
– Browse the structure of your computer to find the item you want to call with a shortcut.
– Then right-click on the name or icon and select Create Shortcut from the context menu.
– Windows then creates a shortcut to the item in the same place, with a small arrow above the icon and the same name. You can modify the name of your shortcut if you consider it necessary. Don't worry about the space: this shortcut is not a duplicate, but a simple shortcut to this element. It therefore takes almost no space on your hard drive.
You can also create shortcuts by dragging items to another destination with the right mouse button. This by selecting To create a shortcut in the menu that appears when you release the button. However, this method does not interest us here.
How do I assign a keyboard shortcut to a key combination?
Assigning a hotkey to a key combination is possible regardless of how and where the key combination was created. This means it can be used for existing shortcuts anywhere, including shortcuts created in the previous step and software shortcuts on the Windows desktop.
– Right-click on the selected shortcut, for example the one you created in the previous step, and select Properties at the bottom of the pop-up menu that appears.
– The Properties window opens. Click on the tab Shortcut at the top of the window.
– Then move the cursor to the field Shortcut key which displays No by default. Then enter the keyboard key you want to use in your combination. In principle, you can use any key on the keyboard: Letters, punctuation or special characters. For example, if you select C, Windows will automatically fill the field with Ctl+Alt+C, which will be the combination you will use for the special key combination.
– If you wish, click on the menu to the right of Execute and select the window display option in which the specified item (program, folder or document) will open: Normal window (recommended), Minimized (not very interesting…) or Maximized (for full-screen viewing ).
– Confirm your choice by clicking OK.
Learn how to find application keyboard shortcuts.
Each application can have its own keyboard shortcuts. It is good to know some of them to improve comfort and efficiency when using your devices.
The easiest way to find shortcuts in an application is to navigate through the menu. In some cases, you may notice that to the right of some menus there is a shortcut key that allows you to perform an action using the keyboard.
In other applications or programs, just press the Alt key. This action will highlight a letter in each menu. To open a menu, press the corresponding key while holding down the Alt key.
Here is an article on windows 10 keyboard shortcuts.
