I Can Learn Computer Skills Blog

How Do I Create A Shortcut On My Desktop?

I get asked this question a lot. It is much easier to look for a shortcut on your desktop than to go searching through your files and try to remember where you put something. Or maybe you are looking for a web site that you frequent often and don't want to type in the URL every time.

I will start by explaining how to put a shortcut to My Documents on the desktop.

1. Begin by left clicking the Microsoft start button, the one you use to shut down the computer.
   This brings up a menu screen.
2. Windows 7 users you will see Documents show up on the right side of the menu.
3. Run your pointer up to it and right click on it.
4. When this menu pops up, run your pointer down to Send To.
5. Another menu pops up. This time choose Desktop (create shortcut)
6. When you go back to your desktop, there it is!
7. Use this method to create a shortcut for any file or folder in your documents

For Windows XP users, you already have a shortcut on your desktop for My Documents. Click on the shortcut to open it. Run your pointer to a file or folder you want to show on the desktop and right click it. Then follow steps 4 - 6 above.