Filed under: Windows, Productivity
Start menu quick launch tip
by Jordan Running Aug 3rd 2006 at 5:15PM
Lifehacker has a great tip on launching your most-used programs really quickly. It relies on the little-known (well, I didn't know it, at least) fact that when the Windows Start menu is open, pressing a letter on your keyboard will launch the first "pinned" shortcut that begins with that letter. Armed with this knowledge, you can prefix the names of shortcuts pinned to your XP Start menu with unique letters to make launching any of your 26 favorite programs as quick as pressing the Windows key and a letter. Very awesome.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Twitch said 6:21PM on 8-03-2006
Umm, actually, it just selects the program from the list. You still have to hit 'enter' to launch it...
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Jordan Running said 6:29PM on 8-03-2006
Twitch: On my machine it launches it the selected program, no Enter required. Curious indeed.
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Kat said 7:39PM on 8-03-2006
Don't clutter up your start menu. Right-click any icon and hit properties. Click on the Shortcut Key field, and press any combination of keys that you want to start the program. You can make ctrl + alt + F start Firefox, or freecell, if you want.
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Oneshot417 said 9:49PM on 8-03-2006
its not just XP works on 2000 also
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Pazu said 12:28AM on 8-04-2006
But I think if you want to be quick, this method is still quite... retarding. I suggest you to try SlickRun (http://www.bayden.com/SlickRun/), it takes time for the first time to setup, but after that everything is a breeze to launch.
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Bilgin said 9:59AM on 8-04-2006
I create a folder named as "^" with all my essential and frequently used program shortcuts, i then add that folder as a toolbar from the task tray, then it just becomes a matter of hitting START/TAB and then the first letter of the app. So easy, so quick.
Twitch, the reason why you have to hit enter is because you have more than one shortcut starting with the same character. With my method, you can just prefix your app (eg. 1 - Photoshop, 2 - Paint Shop Pro) and hit either 1 or 2 and you are good to go.
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Dallen said 11:58AM on 8-04-2006
I used to use the properties/hotkey method (Kat) and also orgainized Start Menu folders and shortcuts, carefully naming them so the keypress method would work.. but recently discovered an open-source tool called Launchy that works better for me. Fast launching of programs with hardly any setup.
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Lee Jones said 12:09PM on 8-04-2006
I agree with Kat... just use shortcut keys... that's what I did before PStart. I also hit WIN-R and type my command (say, "winword" or "notepad") a lot. Besides, if you REALLY have 26 frequently-used programs, do you want to have to memorize a separate key for each one? "Let's see... was P for Picasa, PaintShop Pro or for PowerPoint...?"
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Charles said 11:51PM on 8-04-2006
Make that 36 favorites. You can use digits too. And you'd be surprised at how quickly you come up with memorabe codes to use them all (E for explorer, X for Excel, M for music (if, say, I for iTunes is taken), 2 for 2nd email program (if applicable, etc).
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