How to Open Apps and Websites with Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 11

Utilizing keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11 can dramatically streamline your workflow by reducing the time spent navigating with a mouse. If you want to open apps and websites swiftly using custom keyboard shortcuts, the following methods will guide you through creating efficient shortcuts tailored to your needs.

Use PowerToys

Download and install the latest version of PowerToys on your Windows 11 PC. Ensure that it’s updated to at least version v0.79.0 to access the new features in the Keyboard Manager utility.

Open PowerToys settings by clicking on its icon in the system tray or searching for it in the Start menu.

In the left-hand menu, select ‘Keyboard Manager’ to access the keyboard customization options.

In the Keyboard Manager settings, click on ‘Remap a shortcut’ from the options on the right pane.

In the Remap Shortcuts window that appears, click on the ‘Add shortcut remapping’ button to create a new custom shortcut.

Next to the ‘Shortcut’ field, click on ‘Edit’ to specify the key combination you want to use for your new shortcut.

Press the desired key combination on your keyboard (e.g., Ctrl + Alt + A) and click ‘OK’ to confirm your selection.

To assign this shortcut to open an app, go to the ‘To:’ section. Click the drop-down menu next to ‘Action’ and select ‘Run Program’ from the list.

Click on ‘Select Program’ next to the ‘App’ field to browse your computer for the program’s executable file.

Navigate to the location of the application’s .exe file, select it, and click ‘Open’ to confirm.

Optionally, you can adjust settings such as ‘Args’, ‘Start in’, ‘Elevation’, ‘If running’, and ‘Visibility’. For most cases, leaving them at their default settings is sufficient.

If you prefer to assign the shortcut to open a website, select ‘Open URI’ from the ‘Action’ drop-down menu in the ‘To:’ section.

Enter the full URL of the website you wish to open in the ‘URI’ field.

Click ‘OK’ at the top to save your new shortcut mapping.

Now, whenever you press your designated keyboard shortcut, the specified app will launch or the website will open in your default web browser.

Set Keyboard Shortcuts for Apps or Websites

Ensure that the application you want to create a shortcut for has a desktop icon. If not, create a desktop shortcut by right-clicking the app in the Start menu, selecting ‘More’, and then ‘Open file location’. Copy the shortcut to your desktop.

Right-click the app’s desktop shortcut and select ‘Properties’ from the context menu.

In the Properties window, navigate to the ‘Shortcut’ tab to access shortcut settings.

Click on the ‘Shortcut key’ field and press the keyboard combination you want to assign (e.g., Ctrl + Alt + S).

Click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to save the new keyboard shortcut. Keep in mind that the desktop shortcut must remain on your desktop for the keyboard shortcut to continue working.

To create a keyboard shortcut for a website, you need to install the website as an app on your desktop first. Browsers like Chrome or Edge allow you to install any website as an app. Once installed, follow the same steps as above to assign a keyboard shortcut. For detailed instructions on installing a website as an app, refer to this guide:

Pin Apps to the Taskbar

Pin your most frequently used apps to the taskbar by right-clicking an app and selecting ‘Pin to taskbar’. This makes them easily accessible at all times.

Once the apps are pinned, use the keyboard shortcut Windows logo key + [Number] to open them. The number corresponds to the app’s position on the taskbar from left to right. For example, pressing Windows key + 6 will open the sixth app pinned on your taskbar.

The keyboard shortcut works regardless of whether your taskbar is always visible or set to hide automatically. In the example below, pressing the shortcut opens the sixth app on the taskbar, which is the Arc Browser for Windows.

By setting up custom keyboard shortcuts using these methods, you can enhance your efficiency on Windows 11 by quickly launching apps and websites without the need for mouse navigation.

Use PowerToys

Set Keyboard Shortcuts for Apps or Websites

Pin Apps to the Taskbar

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