In this guide, we show you how to create a desktop shortcut. Desktop shortcuts are the icons on your desktop. When you click a desktop shortcut it takes you to the desired location. This is a great tool for quick access to the places you go to often. Desktop shortcuts can be pointed at any location such as programs and web pages etc.
How to create a desktop shortcut to a webpage
This is really easy, let’s assume you want to create a desktop shortcut to a webpage you go to regularly. The instructions below will show you how to create a desktop shortcut to this website but you can replace the address with any website you like.
- Go to the Desktop (press the Windows key and D together)
- Now right click with your mouse any empty area of your desktop
- Select ‘New’
- Select ‘Shortcut’
- A box will appear and ask you to type the location type www.techsnail.com
- Click Next
- In the text box type what you want the desktop shortcut to be called, type Techsnail
- Click Finish
- Now you will see your new desktop shortcut is on the desktop.
- Double-click the icon to be taken to your location.
How to create a desktop shortcut to a program
The simplest way to create a desktop shortcut to a program is to simply drag the program icon onto the desktop. To do this you can follow the below instructions
- Press the Windows key to activate the text box on the taskbar.
- Type the name of the program you want to create a shortcut to in the text box on the task bar
- Right-click the program from the list generated above
- Select open file location
- Right-click the highlighted icon and select send to
- From the list select Desktop (Create shortcut)
- The desktop shortcut will appear on the desktop
You can create a shortcut to anything you like as long as you can browse to the location. If the above method was not working you can manually create a shortcut to a program by following the below instructions. Remember you will need to select the file that opens the program, an executable file.
Files that open programs are easy to identify because they will have an extension (the bit after the full stop with the letters) .exe
Follow the instructions below to create a desktop shortcut to a program (we will chose itunes for this example.)
- Go to the Desktop (press the windows key and D together)
- Now right click with your mouse any empty area of your desktop
- Select New
- Select Shortcut
- A box will appear, click browse
- Click This PC or Computer to navigate to the desired program,
- Then click Windows C:
- Click Program files
- Scroll down and click itunes
- Then Scroll down until you see the executable file, in this example itunes.exe
- Highlight itunes.exe by clicking once and Press ok
- Click Next
- A box will appear where you can name the Desktop shortcut. Type itunes
- Click Finish and the shortcut will appear on the desktop.
If you wanted to create a desktop shortcut to a folder where you keep all your photos, documents or receipts etc. You can simply follow the above instructions replacing the destination file with the folder of your choice.
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