How to Assign a Shortcut Key (Custom Hotkey) in Windows 10?

Are you aware of the fact that you can assign a shortcut key to your favourite program or the most used program on Windows 10? By assigning the shortcut key to a program let it open in just a few seconds. You don’t have to navigate to search for it.

The Shortcut key also is known as the hotkey. You can assign the hotkey to a software, application, text document or folder. This eases the users who prefer keyboard more than a mouse.

Well while creating a shortcut key you can use the combination of Ctrl, Alt and Shift along with the third key. The third key could be a numeric key, alphabetic key or any punctuation key on the keyboard. For example, Ctrl+Alt+thirdkey or Ctrl+Shift+thirdkey. Remember only use the combination of any two modifiers among the three.

In this section, we will discuss the steps to assign a shortcut key in Windows 10.

Steps to Assign a Shortcut Key (Custom Hotkey) in Windows 10:

Step 1: First you have to search for the software or folder or app to which you want to assign a shortcut key. You can directly search for the program in the Windows search box.

Once you get the program right-click on it and from the displayed option click on ‘Open file location’.

Step 2: Step 1 will navigate you to the location where your desired program lies. Now, again right-click on the program and from the displayed option click on the Properties.

Step 3: The Programs Properties window will pop up where you have to go to the Shortcut tab.

Step 4: Under the Shortcut tab you have to assign a Shortcut key of your choice.  Once done click on Apply and OK.
As you can see that I have assigned the shortcut key Ctrl+Alt+W to the Word application.

Note: The third key in the shortcut key must be somewhat relevant to the program like I use the third key as ‘W’ for Word.

So, this all about the steps to assign a shortcut key in Windows 10. Hope the content is useful. Keep reading.