This page is part of a 7-part story, 7 things you can do to make Windows 7 (and other versions) easier to use.
Applies to: All
Why? It helps to have quicker access to your frequently used Windows applications.
How? Create desktop shortcuts. Create "Quick Launch" toolbar shortcuts. Create custom keyboard shortcuts to speed-launch your favorite applications by pressing a key combination.
- Create custom shortcut keys
- Quick launch/Desktop shortcuts
- Pin to Start Menu
- Send To shortcuts
TroupWare WinLaunch utility manages global shortcut keys in Windows. You can also set the shortcut key by right-clicking on the application's start menu shortcut, selecting Properties, and in the Shortcut tab, click in the Shortcut key field, and then press the desired key combination for the application, then select the OK button. Once the shortcut key combination has been set, pressing that combination should launch the desired application.
You can create a shortcut to your favorite applications on the Desktop, or, you can add them to the Quick Launch area of the taskbar. You can even create your own toolbars with application shortcuts in them, and add them to the taskbar.
You can 'pin' oft-used application Start Menu shortcuts to the top of the Windows Start Menu, which will keep the application's shortcut at the top of the list for quick and convenient access. It's really simple: just right-click on the shortcut, and select Pin to Start Menu and the shortcut will stay at the top of the Start Menu.
You can add programs, such as Notepad, to the "Send To" context menu, thus providing a quick and easy way to send documents to the selected application.
