How to Create Shortcut on Windows 10 (NEW)

Creating shortcuts on your computer is very simple on windows 10 and you will learn how to achive that if you keep reading this article.

The desktop is the most popular location to create shortcuts on windows 10 but what if I tell you there are other locations.

There’s so much to do in windows 10 and creating shortcut to your files or program is one them.

Before I jump into that, let’s start from the very beginning of what a shortcut is. This will give you a full idea and understanding when you are dealing with a shortcut on windows 10.

What is a Shortcut in Widows 10?

A shortcut is an icon with a link that points to a program or file on your computer.

A shortcut help you create a quick path to run a program or opening a file without taking the longer route.

This is very useful when you have your favorite program located inside layers of folders. You wouldn’t need to open all those folders anymore to get your favorite program.

With a shortcut, you can easily access that favorite program right from your desktop or taskbar.

The cool thing about shortcuts is that you can create a shortcut of any file including a browser page in windows 10.

Here is an image example of what a shortcut looks like.

The image above shows what a desktop shortcut looks like.

If you closely at the image, you would notice an arrow displayed on each of every icon. If the icons are too big or small, you can change the icon size.

That arrow confirms a shortcut but applies to only icons located on the desktop.

To know about Windows 10 missing icons from the Desktop, Cick Here!

Where Shortcut Can Be Created on Windows 10?

Most windows users have the misconception that shortcut can only be created on desktop but i’m here to debunk that.

A shortcut can be created in four (4) locations on windows 10.

Here are the locations:

• Desktop
• Taskbar
• Start Menu
• Folder

These locations are the only locations shortcut can be created on.

Now let’s jump into the ways to create shortcut on each of these locations.

Ways To Create Shortcut on Windows 10

On windows 10, there are different ways to create a shortcut to the locations mentiond above.

Based on these locations, I will show all the ways to create shortcut to them.

We’ll start with the first location.

1. Create Shortcut on Desktop

There are three ways. These ways are:

• Send To Desktop
• Copy and Paste
• Drag and Drop

Send To Desktop

1. Locate the file or program you want to create shortcut for. I will be using FIFA19.exe as an example.

2. Right click on the file or program and move your mouse arrow to “send to” to reveal more options.

3. Among those options, click on Desktop (create shortcut).

4. After clicking, your shortcut will automatically created to desktop.

5. Go to your desktop to view the shortcut you just created.

Copy and Paste

1. Locate the file or program you want to create shortcut for.

2. Right click on the file or program and choose copy. You can also select the program and press Ctrl + C to copy on your keyboard.

3. Go to your desktop and right click then click paste shortcut.

4. Check your desktop to view the shortcut you just created.

Drag and Drop

1. Locate the file or program you want to create shortcut for.

2. Make sure the file explorer doesn’t occupy the whole desktop. You should only open the file explorer where the file or program is while you can still see a bit of your desktop. Here’s an image example

3. Now, hold alt on your keyboard while dragging the file or program to your desktop.

4. Check your desktop to view the shortcut you just created.

2. Create Shortcut to Taskbar

Creating shortcut to taskbar can also be referred to as pin to taskbar.

If you don’t know what a taskbar is, here’s an image example.

The task bar is the bar located at the bottom of your screen.

Putting shortcut on your taskbar will enable you to access your programs faster with just one click.

Note – Only .exe programs can be added to taskbar.

There are three ways of creating shortcut to taskbar.

• From a folder
• From desktop
• From Start Menu

Here’s how,

From a Folder

1. Locate your program from inside its folder.

2. Right click on the program and click on pin to taskbar.

3. Check your taskbar to view the shortcut you just created.

From Desktop

1. Locate your program on your desktop

2. Right click on the program and click on pin to taskbar.

3. Check your taskbar to view the shortcut you just created.

From Start Menu

1. Click on the windows logo on your keyboard or click on the windows icon located at your bottom left hand side of you screen.

2. Search for the program you want to add to taskbar.

3. When you find the program, right click on the program and select pin to taskbar.

4. Check your taskbar to view your shortcut.

3. Create Shortcut to Start Menu

Creating shortcut to start menu can be referred to as pin to start.

This is what a start menu looks like:

Note – You can only create shortcut for programs to start menu.

There are also three ways to add shortcut start menu.

• From a Folder
• From Desktop
• From Start Menu

Here’s how,

From a Folder

1. Locate your program file inside its folder.

2. Right click on the program and select pin to start.

3. Check your start menu to view your shortcut.

From Desktop

1. Locate your program file on your desktop.

2. Right click on the program and select pin to start.

3. Check your start menu to view your shortcut.

From Start Menu

1. Click on the windows logo button on your keyboard or click on the windows icon located at your bottom left hand side of you screen.

2. Search for the program you want to create shortcut for.

3. Right click on the program and select pin to start

4. Check you start menu to view your shortcut.

4. Create Shortcut to Folder

There are two ways you can create a shortcut into a folder. These ways are:

• Copy and Paste
• Drag and Drop

Here’s how,

Copy and Paste

1. Locate the program or file you want to create shortcut for.

2. Right click on the file or program and select copy or use Ctrl + C to copy after selecting the file or program.

3. Now go to the folder you want to paste the shortcut to and right click on the folder and select paste shortcut.

4. View your shortcut inside the folder.

Drag and Drop

1. Open two tabs on your computer. Let the first tab contain the program or file you want to create shortcut for while the second tab should contain a folder where you want to copy the shortcut into.

2. On the first tab, hold Alt on your keyboard while dragging the program or file into the folder you want to create shortcut to.

3. Once you release your hands in that folder, your shortcut would automatically be created.

How To Create Shortcut to an App on Windows 10

Here’s how

1. Goto the application you want to create shortcut for.

2. Right click on the app and select copy. You can also use ctrl + v to copy the app after selecting it.

3. Now, right click on wherever you want to create the shortcut to and click on paste shortcut.

4. Your shortcut will be created immediately and you can view it where you pasted it.

How to Create Shortcut to a Website or Web Page

This way, you can easily open links or website from your desktop, taskbar or folder without having to type in the web address manually in your browser.

Here’s how,

1. Open your browser.

2. Go to your specified url that you want to create shortcut for

3. Now, drag and drop the padlock icon beside your url either on your desktop, taskbar or folder to creat a shortcut.

4. Release your hands to create the browser shortcut.

How to Rename a Shortcut

If you don’t like the name on a particular shortcut and you want to change it,

Here’s how,

1. Locate the shortcut you want to rename.

2. Right click on the shortcut and click on rename among the options

3. Now, change the name to whatever you want it to be.

4. Click on enter on your keyboard.