How to Customize Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows

Windows allows you to customize keyboard shortcuts to create faster workflows for launching apps, opening files, and executing common actions. Whether you want to assign hotkeys to programs or create custom shortcuts, this guide will show you how.

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📌 Step 1: Assign a Keyboard Shortcut to a Program

You can create a custom keyboard shortcut to open any application.

How to Set a Custom Shortcut for an Application:

1. Right-click the program shortcut on your desktop or Start menu.
2. Select Properties.
3. Click the Shortcut tab.
4. Click inside the Shortcut key field.
5. Press a key combination (Ctrl + Alt + [Your Key] or another combination).
6. Click Apply, then OK.

✅ Example: Assigning Ctrl + Alt + W to launch Microsoft Word instantly!

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📌 Step 2: Customize Shortcuts for Windows Functions

Windows has built-in hotkeys, but you can adjust or add new ones.

How to Create a Custom Shortcut to Open a Folder or File:

1. Right-click the folder or file you want to assign a shortcut to.
2. Click Create Shortcut (if not already a shortcut).
3. Right-click the shortcut and select Properties.
4. Under the Shortcut tab, click the Shortcut key field.
5. Press a key combination (Ctrl + Shift + Any Letter).
6. Click Apply, then OK.

✅ Example: Assigning Ctrl + Shift + D to open your Documents folder instantly!

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📌 Step 3: Modify Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft 365 Apps

Many Microsoft 365 apps, like Word and Excel, let you customize shortcuts inside the software.

How to Customize Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Word:

1. Open Word and click File > Options.
2. Go to Customize Ribbon > Keyboard Shortcuts: Customize.
3. Select a command from the list.
4. Press your desired shortcut key.
5. Click Assign > Close.

✅ Example: Assigning Ctrl + Shift + S to save a document as a PDF!

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📌 Step 5: Change Keyboard Layout or Input Language

If you need different keyboard layouts or want to switch languages faster, set up a shortcut.

How to Change Keyboard Layout in Windows:

1. Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region.
2. Click Add a language and select one.
3. To switch, press Win + Spacebar.

✅ Great for multilingual users switching between English, Spanish, French, etc.!

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