Windows Creating Shortcut Keys
Using shortcut keys is a very fast method for opening programs and other items. Most shortcut key commands for programs start with the Control and Alt keys being held down, and then a letter being hit to make the program open. You have to remember to release the Control and Alt keys after you hit the letter. There are a number of methods for creating your own shortcut keys. Do the following activities to create shortcut keys for programs you use daily. There are headings on this web page to make it easy for you to move from activity to activity. You can go through all of the activities, or hit the letter h until you hear an activity that you want to do, and then down arrow through that activity. There is an audio demonstration (MP3 format) for creating shortcut keys. 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: Be careful which letter you assign to a shortcut key command. Some are already taken by other programs.
NOTE: The "Start menu" method does not work for Windows 8.
1. Hit the Windows key one time.
2. Up arrow to "All Programs."
3. Right arrow one time to open the sub menu of the main "All Programs" menu item.
4. Down arrow to something that sounds like "Microsoft Office."
5. Right arrow one time to open the sub menu for Microsoft Office.
6. Down arrow to the "Word" sub menu item. Do not hit the Enter key!
7. Hit the Applications key one time.
8. Up arrow one time to the "Properties" menu item.
9. Hit the Enter key one time.
10. Hit the Tab key until you hear the "Shortcut key" edit box.
11. Type the letter w (you can actually put any letter you like, but w makes sense because you are creating a shortcut key for the "Word" program).
12. Hit the Tab key again-and-again until you hear the "Apply" button.
13. Hit the Spacebar one time and a box will probably come up telling you that you have to "Provide Administrative permission," and you will be placed on a "Continue" button.
14. Hit the Spacebar one time and the shortcut will be almost finished.
15. Hit the Tab key again-and-again to move down to the "OK" button.
16. Hit the Spacebar one time and your shortcut for Word is created. The key commands Control Alt have been automatically assigned to the letter w to make a Control Alt w shortcut to open the "Word" program.
17. Press Control Alt w to see if Word opens. If it does, press Alt F4 to close it. If it does not, move back to the "Word" menu item and try again.
1. Hit the Windows key one time.
2. Type excel
3. Down arrow until you hear "Excel." Do not hit the Enter key!
4. Hit the Applications key one time.
5. Up arrow to the "Properties" menu item.
6. Hit the Enter key one time.
7. Hit the Tab key until you get to the "Shortcut key" edit box.
8. Type the letter e (you can use any letter you want, but e makes sense because you are creating a shortcut key for Excel). Control and Alt are automatically added to the key command, making the shortcut key command actually be Control Alt e
9. Hit the Tab key until you reach the "Apply" button.
10. Hit the Spacebar one time on the "Apply" button and a box will probably come up indicating that you need to "Provide Administrative permission."
11. Hit the Spacebar one time on the "Continue" button of the box that popped up. You are now back in the box where you started creating the shortcut key command.
12. Hit the Tab key until you hear the "OK" button.
13. Hit the Spacebar one time and your shortcut key command has been created.
14. Try pressing the Control Alt e shortcut key command to see if Excel opens. If it does, press Alt F4 to close it. If it does not open, move back to the Excel menu item and try again.
1. Press Windows key d or m to move to the Windows Desktop.
2. Hit the letter r until you get to the "Recycle Bin."
3. Hit the Applications key one time.
4. Up arrow to the "Properties" menu item.
5. Hit the Enter key one time.
6. Hit the Tab key until you are in the "Shortcut key" edit box.
7. Type the letter r
8. Tab down to the "Apply" button.
9. Hit the Spacebar one time and a box will probably pop up saying that you need to "Provide Administrative permission."
10. Hit the Spacebar on the "Continue" button of the box that just popped up.
11. Hit the Tab key until you get to the "OK" button.
12. Hit the Spacebar one time and your shortcut key command Control Alt r to open the "Recycle Bin" will be created.
13. Press the shortcut key command Control Alt r to open the "Recycle Bin." If it does open, press Alt F4 to close it. If it does not open, move back to the "Recycle Bin" icon and try again.
14. Find another icon on the Windows Desktop and try the above steps with a different letter to see if you can make a shortcut key command for that item.
Audio Demonstration for Creating Shortcut Keys Link