Windows 10: Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, Drive, or Website in Windows 10

How to: Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, Drive, or Website in Windows 10

How to Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, Drive, or Website in Windows 10


A shortcut is a link to an item (ex: app, file, folder, drive, website, etc...) on a local or network computer.

You can create a shortcut to an item anywhere you want to make it easier to open the target item from the location of the shortcut.

A shortcut can also be customized to have any name, keyboard shortcut you want for it without affecting its target item.

This tutorial will show you different ways on how to create a shortcut to an app, file, folder, drive, or website for your account in Windows 10.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Create Shortcut to App from Start Menu
• Option Two: To Create Shortcut to App from Applications folder
• Option Three: To Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, Drive, Computer, or Website using "New -> Shortcut" Context Menu
• Option Four: To Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, or Drive using "Create Shortcut" Context Menu
• Option Five: To Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, or Drive using "Paste Shortcut" Context Menu
• Option Six: To Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, or Drive using "Send to" Context Menu
• Option Seven:To Create Shortcut to Folder or Drive from File Explorer Address Bar
• Option Eight: To Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, or Drive using Alt or Ctrl+Shift Keys

OPTION ONE [/i] To Create Shortcut to App from Start Menu
1. Open the Start menu (*Start).

2. Drag and drop an app on Start or in All apps to your desktop. (see screenshot below)



3. If you like, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.





OPTION TWO [/i] To Create Shortcut to App from Applications folder
1. Open File Explorer (Win+E).

2. Type shell:appsfolder into the address bar, and press Enter to open the Applications folder showing your installed apps. (see screenshot below)



3. Drag and drop an app (ex: "Microsoft Edge") from the Applications folder to your desktop. (see screenshot below)



4. If you like, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

5. When finished, you can close File Explorer if you like.





OPTION THREE [/i] To Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, Drive, Computer, or Website using "New -> Shortcut" Context Menu
1. Right click or press and hold on your desktop or empty area in open location where you want the shortcut in File Explorer, click/tap on New, and click/tap on Shortcut. (see screenshot below)



2. Click/tap on Browse, navigate to and select a local or network app, file, folder, drive, or computer you want to create a shortcut for, click/tap on OK, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshots below)

*note If you like, you can also copy and paste a command or website URL address (ex:"www.tenforums.com") as the location.





3. Type a name you want for this shortcut, and click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)



4. If you like, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.





OPTION FOUR [/i] To Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, or Drive using "Create Shortcut" Context Menu
1. While on your desktop or in File Explorer, select one or more items you want to create shortcuts for.

2. Right click or press and hold on the selected item(s), and click/tap on Create shortcut. (see screenshot below)



3. If Windows can't create shortcut(s) for the selected item(s) at the current location, then click/tap on Yes to have the shortcut(s) created on your desktop instead. (see screenshot below)



4. If you like, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.




OPTION FIVE [/i] To Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, or Drive using "Paste Shortcut" Context Menu
1. While on your desktop or in File Explorer, select one or more items you want to create shortcuts for.

2. Right click or press and hold on the selected item(s), and click/tap on Copy. (see screenshot below)



3. Right click or press and hold on an empty area where you want the shortcut(s) at, and click/tap on Paste shortcut. (see screenshot below)



4. If you like, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.




OPTION SIX [/i] To Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, or Drive using "Send to" Context Menu
1. While on your desktop or in File Explorer, select one or more items you want to create shortcuts for.

2. Right click or press and hold on the selected item(s), click/tap on Send to, and click/tap on Desktop (create shortcut). (see screenshot below)



3. If you like, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.




OPTION SEVEN [/i] To Create Shortcut to Folder or Drive from File Explorer Address Bar
1. While in File Explorer, open the folder or drive you want to create a shortcut for.

2. Drag and drop the icon on the left side in the address bar to where you want to create the shortcut at. (see screenshot below)



3. If you like, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.




OPTION EIGHT [/i] To Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, or Drive using Alt or Ctrl+Shift Keys
1. While on your desktop or in File Explorer, select one or more items you want to create shortcuts for.

2. Press and hold the Alt or Ctrl+Shift keys, drag and drop the selected item(s) to where you want to create the shortcut(s) at, and release the Alt or Ctrl+Shift keys. (see screenshot below)



3. If you like, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

That's it,
Shawn


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• How to Create Website Shortcut in Windows
• How to Mount a Drive to a Folder in Windows 10

:)

 

Create Shortcut to new app-style Windows Settings

Hello StuckOnWords,

If you like, here are a few options on how to create a shortcut for specific apps from the Microsoft Store.

Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, Drive, or Website in Windows 10

App Commands List for Windows 10

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Apps Shortcut


Hello Clint,

Sure, you could use Option 2 in the tutorial below to drag and drop the app from the Start menu to your desktop to create a shortcut of it.

*Arrow Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, Drive, or Website in Windows 10 Windows 10 General Tips Tutorials

 

1 app stopping shutdown

No worries Tony.

You can use Option Three below like you posted to create the shortcut. You would enter the command at step 2 for the location instead, and can enter any name (ex: "Shut down") you like at step 3.

*Arrow Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, Drive, or Website in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

 

How To Create a Custom Shortcut to a Store App in \WindowsApps

Some starting points:
Create Shortcut to App, File, Folder, Drive, or Website in Windows 10 | Tutorials
Change Icon of Shortcut in Windows 10 | Tutorials


I think I noticed a thread about creating a custom shortcut to an app recently, but can't find it right now.