How to create custom Hotkey for your favorite software program, file or folder

Keyboard shortcuts to open a file or folder or a specific software is called Hotkeys. Hotkeys save time and effort. It is used to perform task quickly. Windows has various predefined hotkeys for various applications but what if you want to assign your custom hotkey to your favourite application, file or folder?

Well, Windows has the feature that you can your custom hotkey for your favourite application, file or folder. You can assign your custom hotkey in two ways:

1. By using any of Function key.
2. By using combination of Ctrl + Alt/Shift + (any other key).

The problem with first method is that the function keys are already assigned to some applications/functions so you may not want to replace that.

You can use second method efficiently but there is also some hotkeys already assigned like "Ctrl + C to copy","Ctrl + S to save", etc. You should not want to replace these hotkeys. 

So, best way to use is Ctrl + Alt + (key). Because there is less chances of conflict in this combination. One thing to keep in mind is that you can only assign hotkeys to shortcuts of application, file or folder. You must need a shortcut of your favourite application, file or folder to assign a hotkey. Follow the steps given below to assign your custom hotkey to your favourite application, file or folder.

Steps To Assign A Hotkey To An Application:

• Fortunately, you don't need to create shortcuts for applications available in Start Menu.
• So, open Start Menu.
• Right click on the application you want to assign hotkey for, and go to More>Open file location.Now right click on application shortcut and go to Properties.(Windows 7 users, go to Start Menu and right click on application and go to Properties.)

• In properties dialog box, select “Shortcut key” text box.
• Enter the key you want to assign and windows will automatically add Ctrl+Alt in beginning.

• Click OK and boom!!! Your hotkey is assigned to your favourite application. You access them by pressing your hotkey. :)

Steps To Assign A Hotkey To A File/Folder:

• As you can assign hotkey only to shortcuts, you must need to create a shortcut for your file/folder.
• To do that, One way is right click on your file/folder and go to Send>Desktop(Create Shortcut). It will created a shortcut to your desktop. Second way is right click on your file/folder and select Create Shortcut option. It will create a shortcut in the same directory where your file/folder is.

• Now, right click on the shortcut and go to properties. 
• In properties dialog box, select “Shortcut key” text box.
• Enter the key you want to assign and windows will automatically add Ctrl+Alt in beginning.

• Click OK and boom!!! Your hotkey is assigned to your favourite file/folder.

Note: You must not delete the shortcut you have created otherwise the hotkey will not work.