Changing Windows Key Shortcuts for File Explorer in Windows 11

Changing Windows Key Shortcuts: File Explorer in Windows 11

In this article, we will discuss how to change the Windows key shortcut for opening File Explorer in Windows 11. Specifically, we will focus on changing the default Windows + E shortcut to open a specific application, such as IntelliJ.

Understanding Windows Key Shortcuts

Windows key shortcuts are combination of keys that allow users to quickly access certain features or applications on their Windows operating system. The Windows key, located between the Ctrl and Alt keys on most keyboards, is a crucial part of these shortcuts. For example, the default Windows + E shortcut opens File Explorer, which is the file management system for Windows.

Changing the Default Shortcut for Opening File Explorer

To change the default shortcut for opening File Explorer, you can follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start menu.
2. Type "regedit" in the search bar and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following path in the Registry Editor: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RunMRU
4. Right-click on an empty space in the right pane and select "New" > "String Value".
5. Name the new value "FileExplorer" (without quotes) and press Enter.
6. Double-click on the new value and enter the path of the application you want to open with the Windows + E shortcut (e.g., "C:\Program Files\IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition 2021.3\bin\idea64.exe" for IntelliJ).

After following these steps, you should be able to open the specified application by pressing the Windows + E key combination. However, note that this will override the default behavior of opening File Explorer with this shortcut. If you want to keep the default behavior but also open the application, you can create a new shortcut using a different key combination.

Creating a New Shortcut for Opening the Application

To create a new shortcut for opening the application using a different key combination, you can follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the desktop and select "New" > "Shortcut".
2. Enter the path of the application you want to open (e.g., "C:\Program Files\IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition 2021.3\bin\idea64.exe" for IntelliJ).
3. Name the shortcut (e.g., "IntelliJ").
4. Right-click on the shortcut and select "Properties".
5. In the "Shortcut key" field, enter the key combination you want to use to open the application (e.g., "W, E" for Alt + W + E).

After following these steps, you should be able to open the specified application by pressing the new key combination you created. However, note that this will not override the default behavior of opening File Explorer with the Windows + E shortcut.

• Windows key shortcuts are combination of keys that allow users to quickly access certain features or applications on their Windows operating system.
• The default Windows + E shortcut opens File Explorer, which is the file management system for Windows.
• You can change the default shortcut for opening File Explorer by creating a new string value in the Registry Editor.
• If you want to keep the default behavior but also open the application, you can create a new shortcut using a different key combination.

References

• Type: Article

  Title: How to Create Keyboard Shortcuts for Your Favorite Apps in Windows 10

  URL: https://www.howtogeek.com/261035/how-to-create-keyboard-shortcuts-for-your-favorite-apps-in-windows-10/

• Type: Article

  Title: How to Customize the Windows Key Shortcut to File Explorer

  URL: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/customize-windows-key-shortcut-file-explorer/

• Type: Book

  Title: Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts

  Author: Steve Sinchak

  Publisher: Packt Publishing

  Publication Date: August 12, 2015