Windows Creating Desktop Shortcuts
Windows Desktop icons are actually short cuts to opening a program, web page, folder, file, or application. Some icons are already on your Windows Desktop such as the "Recycle Bin." If you install a program, many times that program will place an icon (shortcut) on your Windows Desktop. If you are curious to know exactly where the program, folder or file of a specific icon is on your computer, move to that icon on the Windows Desktop. Hit the Applications key one time. Down arrow to "Open File Location" and hit the Enter key one time. You will be directly on top of the item in the drive and folder where it is located. You can create your own icons on the Windows Desktop, using the Windows Start menu, or a web address, or even something you type in yourself. As you have learned, icons are a quick way on the Windows Desktop to open a program, or other item such as the "Recycle Bin." In Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 this is the same in regard to most key commands. In Windows Vista and Windows 7 there is the added ability to utilize the Windows Start menu "Search" box to help bring up a list for selecting an item to be added as an icon to the Windows Desktop. In Windows 8 there are two main views. There is the Windows 8 Metro view which is completely set up with icon type items, and within some areas, lists of programs. The Windows 8 Desktop is the other view. It is much like the other versions of Windows, especially Windows Vista and Windows 7, with the exception that it does not have a "Start menu." The Metro view acts as a type of Start menu for Windows 8. Following are a number of methods for creating icons on the Windows Desktop. Headings are used for your convenience so that you can either move through all methods, or move quickly to a specific method. Hit the letter h again-and-again to move forward through the headings, or Shift h to move backward through the headings. When you hear a heading that you are interested in, use your down arrow key to move line-by-line through the sequential steps for that heading. There is a link to an audio demonstration (MP3 format) file. You can hit Enter on this link to listen to it, or to download it to put on another device. When you are finished move to the link at the bottom of this page titled "BACK" to go to the "Simple Windows Lessons" web page.
NOTE: In Windows 8 you really do not need to make icons for programs such as "Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook." All you need to do is hit the Windows key to move to the "Metro view," type the name of the program and hit the Enter key. The program will open automatically.
NOTE: This is the long way to find a program, folder or file in Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.
1. Hit the Windows key one time.
2. Up arrow to the "All Programs" menu item.
3. Right arrow one time.
4. Down arrow to "Microsoft Office."
5. Right arrow one time to open the sub menu for "Microsoft Office."
6. Down arrow through the "Microsoft Office" sub menu until you hear something like "Word" or "Microsoft Office Word." Do not hit Enter!!!
7. Hit the Applications key one time.
8. Down arrow to "Send to."
9. Right arrow to open the "Send to" sub menu.
10. Down arrow to the "Desktop (Create short cut) menu item.
11. Hit the Enter key one time and an icon for "Word" is placed on your Windows Desktop.
12. Repeat steps "1" through "11" above to add an "Excel" icon to your Windows Desktop.
NOTE: The "Search box" method works in Windows Vista and Windows 7.
1. Hit the Windows key one time.
2. Type powerpoint
3. Down arrow until you hear something like "PowerPoint" or "Microsoft Office PowerPoint," or "PowerPoint 2013." Do not hit Enter!!!
4. Hit the Applications key one time.
5. Down arrow to the "Send to" menu item.
6. Right arrow one time.
7. Down arrow to the "Desktop (create shortcut) menu item.
8. Hit the Enter key one time and an icon for "PowerPoint" is placed on your Windows Desktop.
9. To prove the "PowerPoint" icon has been made, Press and hold down the Windows key and hit the letter d or m.
10. Release the keys.
11. Explore the Windows Desktop with your key commands and see if you can find the "PowerPoint" icon. Remember, if you hit the Enter key on the PowerPoint icon, PowerPoint will open.
NOTE: This method is especially good for making specific web page icons. While you can use the "Browse" button to search for programs, folders, or even files, it is not consider to be time efficient, given other quicker methods.
1. Press and hold down the Windows key and hit the letter d or m.
2. Right arrow one time to put the focus on an icon.
3. Press and hold down the Control key and hit the Spacebar one time to remove the focus from all icons and be on the Windows Desktop.
4. Hit the Applications key one time.
5. Down arrow to the "New" menu item.
6. Right arrow one time to open the sub menu for the "New" menu item.
7. Down arrow to the "Shortcut" menu item.
8. Hit the Enter key one time and a "Create Shortcut" box pops up.
9. Type www.google.com
10. Hit the Enter key one time and a box comes up where you need to type a name for your new icon.
11. Type "Google" (without the quotes).
12. Hit the Enter key one time and your "Google" icon is created on your Windows Desktop.
13. Move to the Windows Desktop and hit the letter g until you hear "Google."
14. Hit the Enter key one time and the "Google" website will open.
15. Press Alt F4 to close the "Google" website and you will be placed back on the "Google" icon.
16. If you want to delete the "Google" icon hit the Delete key one time. A box will come up asking if you want to delete. Hit the Enter key and the Google icon will be deleted.
17. Hit the Windows key one time and type www.brlsts.com
18. Hit the Enter key one time to go to the www.brlsts.com website (this website)
19. Hit the F6, or Control l, or Alt d to move to the address bar.
20. Press and hold down the Control key and hit the letter c to copy the web address (www.brlsts.com).
21. Press and hold down the Windows key and hit the letter d or m to move to the Windows Desktop.
22. Right arrow one time.
23. Press and hold down the Control key and hit the Spacebar one time.
24. Hit the Applications key one time.
25. Down arrow to the "New" menu item.
26. Right arrow one time.
27. Down arrow to the "Shortcut" menu item.
28 Hit the Enter key one time.
29. Press and hold down the Control key and hit the letter v to paste the copied "www.brlsts.com" web address into the box.
30. Hit the Enter key one time and a second box comes up.
31. Type "Bosma Assistive Technology Lessons" (without the quotes).
32. Hit the Enter key one time and the icon for "Bosma Assistive Technology Lessons" has been created.
33. Press Windows key d or m to move to the Windows Desktop.
34. Use your key navigation skills or hit the letter b until you hear "Bosma Assistive Technology Lessons."
35. Hit the Enter key one time on the highlighted icon "Bosma Assistive Technology Lessons" and this website will come up.
36. Press Alt F4 to close the Internet.
NOTE: This is an easy way to create Windows Desktop icons for folders and individual files.
NOTE: If you create an icon for a folder or file that is on a memory stick or external drive, the memory stick or external drive has to be in the computer for the icon to work.
1. Press and hold down the Windows key and hit the letter e to bring up Windows File Explorer.
2. Release the keys.
3. Press and hold down the Shift key and hit the Tab key until you get to the "Tree View."
4. Release the keys.
5. Up arrow or hit the letter d until you get to the "Documents" folder.
6. Hit the Applications key one time.
7. Down arrow to the "Send to" menu item.
8. Right arrow one time and you should be on the "Desktop (create shortcut) sub menu item. If not, down arrow until you hear it spoken.
9. Hit the Enter key one time on the "Desktop (create shortcut) and an icon will be placed on your Windows Desktop for your "Documents" folder.
10. You can use the above steps to add a shortcut icon for other folders such as "Music, Pictures Videos," and any that you create. These are shortcuts so you will be taken to the original folder when you hit the Enter key on the icon representing that folder.
Audio Demonstration for Creating Windows Desktop Shortcuts (icons) Link