Create shortcut for folder windows

A shortcut allows you to quickly access an item on your Windows PC without having to dive into the many folders and directories. Users usually create shortcuts to different items that can include web pages, an app, or a file or folder, directly on their desktop for quick and convenient access.

Although too many shortcut icons on your desktop may look like clutter, this approach is excellent for the items that you often need to visit. For example, if you access an online portal, and open an app or a file on a daily basis, a shortcut on the desktop might save you some time regularly.

This article covers all the methods that allow you to create shortcuts on your computer’s desktop for files, folders, applications, or websites.

Create Shortcut for File or Folder

Creating a shortcut for a file or a folder on a Windows PC allows you to access the original file/folder while not having to navigate to the original item every time. Meanwhile, any changes made to the file/folder after being accessed from the shortcut are made to the original item and saved.

There are three methods to create a shortcut for a file or a folder, and all 3 methods are the same for both a file and a folder.

Note that this method can also be used to create shortcuts for executable apps – that have a .exe file available.

To learn to create shortcuts for UWP apps, refer to the next section of the post.

1. Navigate to the file or folder using File Explorer.

2. Right-click the file or folder and click “Create shortcut” from the context menu.

   

   A shortcut link will now be created within the same directory. It will have the suffix “– Shortcut.”

3. Move the shortcut to the desktop, or any place where you want it to be.

   

Create File or Folder Shortcut Directly on Desktop

Another method to create a shortcut for a file or a folder is through the context menu available on the desktop.

1. Right-click on an empty space on the desktop, expand New, and then click “Shortcut.”

   

2. Click Browse.

   

   A browsing window will now open.

3. Navigate to the file/folder you want to create a shortcut for, select it, and then click Ok.

   

   Alternatively, you can skip Steps 2 and 3 and provide the complete link to the file or folder directly.

4. Click Next.

   

5. Now, set a name for the shortcut and click Finish.

   

Create File or Folder Shortcut using Drag-and-Drop

The third approach for creating a shortcut for a file or folder is using the drag-and-drop method. However, if you drag and drop a file or a folder using the left mouse click, it will only copy the item to the destination location. Therefore, you must use the right-click. Here is how:

1. Navigate to the file or folder that you want to create a shortcut for.

2. Right-click it and hold the right-click while dragging it onto the desktop.

3. Once on the desktop, let go of the right-click and you will see a context menu. Click “Create shortcuts here.”

   

A shortcut for the file or folder will now appear in the selected area.

These are the methods to create shortcuts for files and folders in the Windows operating system. Note that all of the aforementioned methods can also be used to create shortcuts for desktop applications, like web browsers, Command Prompt, etc. All you need to know is the location of the executable file for the respective app.

For example, if I want to create a shortcut for the Command Prompt, I will use the following path, or create a shortcut for the “cmd.exe” file:

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe

Create Shortcut for App

Above, we have shared how to create a shortcut for Windows applications that are executable. Now, we will show you how to create a shortcut for a UWP app.

1. Open the Start menu and click “All apps.”

   

2. Look for the app that you want to create a shortcut for.

3. Drag and drop the app onto the desktop.

   

You now have a shortcut for the app on your desktop. If you want, you can cut and paste the shortcut onto another location more convenient to you.

Create Shortcut for Website

A bookmark and a shortcut for a website are two different things. A bookmark is a shortcut for a web page inside a web browser, whereas a shortcut for a website is an icon placed on your desktop to quickly open the web page, even when no browser window is open in the first place.

Follow these steps to create a shortcut for a particular web page on your desktop:

1. Access the web page that you want to create a shortcut for using any web browser and copy its URL.

   

2. Now right-click on an empty space on the desktop, expand New, and then click “Shortcut.”

   

3. Paste the URL into the text field asking for a location, and then click Next.

   

4. Now, set a name for the shortcut and click Finish.

   

Now, double-clicking the shortcut will take you straight to the web page for you have inserted the URL. It will open in the default web browser you have set on your PC.

Closing Thoughts

Even though this article focuses on creating shortcuts on the desktop, you can create and move them anywhere inside the Windows OS. Since most people usually want them on their desktops, we designed this article around it.

On a Windows computer, you can pretty much create a shortcut for everything. However, the methods to create them may vary slightly. This is what we have covered in this article; all the methods you need to know to create a shortcut and make your life just a little bit easier.

Nifty PC tricks: How to create new folders, using shortcut keys

For some of us who work mostly with computers, it’s not fun to move and click the mouse at all times. Shortcut keys are a way to speed up your work routine and get better organized in your PC tasks.

The great news is if you’re keen on creating a new folder, all it takes is a few keyboard buttons. Here’s a quick guide on how to create new folders, using shortcut keys.

What are shortcut keys to create new folders in Windows 10?

Normally, we right-click in order to create a new folder. On Desktop, you can create a new folder by right-clicking on an empty area, choosing New, and choosing Folder. But Windows 10, as well as 8 and 7, lets you create folders with a keyboard shortcut. Simply press Ctrl + Shift + N and you can see the new folder automatically created on your Desktop and ready for file storage or renaming.

This shortcut works on File Explorer just as well. Simply open the File Explorer (or location where you want a new folder created), press Ctrl + Shift + N, and the new folder crops up in no time.

How about if you want to create a folder in the File Explorer and you want to create it on your desktop at the same time? It’s simple: press Windows key + D. You’ll find that all folders or programs will be minimized and Desktop is the only one open. Follow the earlier steps we showed you and that’s it.

While this shortcut works in Windows 8 and 7, it won’t do so on Windows XP. If you’re a Windows XP user and you seek to create a new folder on Desktop via keyboard shortcuts, hold the Alt + F keys, and then release them before quickly pressing the W key, followed by F.

A few notes about shortcut keys

Have azlook at a few more shortcut key notes:

• Whenever a shortcut key is listed with a plus sign (+) in the string, such as Ctrl + S, this means that the Ctrl key is held while the letter S is pressed.
• Whenever it’s listed with commas separating the string, such as Alt + F, W, F, note that while the Alt key is held, you press the letter F. Both keys are afterwards released while the W and F keys are pressed one after another.
• Either upper or lower case letters in these shortcut key combinations can work. Uppercase letters are often used as examples for clarity.

If you don’t want to use keyboard shortcuts on your computer anymore, you can turn off hotkeys or disable all the keyboard shortcuts on your PC through the Windows Registry.

If you’re coming across PC performance issues, on the other hand, it might be worth exploring the use of tools such as Auslogics BoostSpeed for proper Windows diagnosis, improved computer speed, and proper stability for all your tasks.

That’s it – hope these shortcut keys work for your convenience!