A shortcut is a link to a file or program, represented by an icon. If you double-click a shortcut, the file or program opens. It's a great way to keep frequently used files in a single, easily accessed location, such as a folder or the desktop.
You can create a shortcut for almost any kind of file. In addition to documents, pictures, music, folders, and programs, you can create shortcuts for links to websites.
Yes. You can either copy or move a shortcut to a new location and it will continue to open the original file. The easiest way to move a shortcut is to drag it to the new location.
If you delete the original file, the shortcut will no longer work, so you should delete the shortcut as well. If you delete the shortcut, the original file is not affected. You can delete a shortcut if you no longer need it.
Yes. You can rename a shortcut in the same way that you rename any other kind of file. Right-click the shortcut, and then click Rename. Type a new name for the shortcut, and then press ENTER.
If you double-click a shortcut and the Missing Shortcut dialog box appears, it means the original file was moved or deleted. If you know where the original file is now located, you can click Browse and specify the new location. If not, delete the shortcut because it is no longer useful.
Yes, although changing the icon does not remove the shortcut arrow. To change the icon, right-click the shortcut, and then click Properties. Click Change Icon, click a new icon in the list, and then click OK. The shortcut will be displayed with its new icon.
The Shortcut Properties dialog box includes other options that can cause your shortcut to stop working. If you change the file information in the Target box, for example, the shortcut will no longer point to the original program.
No. Shortcut icons include small arrows to remind you that they are shortcuts. This makes it easy to identify whether an icon is for a shortcut or an original file so that you don't mistakenly delete an original file when you mean to delete a shortcut.
Drag
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Drag
To move an item on the screen by selecting the item and then pressing and holding down the mouse button while moving the mouse. For example, you can move a window to another location on the screen by dragging its title bar.
Icon
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Icon
A small picture that represents a file, folder, program, or other object or function.
Shortcut
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Shortcut
A link to any item accessible on your computer or on a network, such as a program, file, folder, disk drive, printer, or another computer. You can put shortcuts in various areas, such as on the desktop, on the Start menu, or in specific folders.
Location
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Location
Any disk drive, folder, or other place in which you can store files and folders. Programs will commonly ask you to choose a location to save a file.
File
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File
A collection of information that is stored on a computer under a single name. A file can be a text document, a picture, a program, and so on. Files typically have a three-letter file name extension that helps to indicate the type (for example, picture files are often saved in JPEG format and have the file name extension .jpg).
Program
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Program
A set of instructions that a computer uses to perform a specific task, such as word processing, accounting, or data management. Also called an application.
Desktop
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Desktop
The work area on a computer screen that simulates the top of an actual desk. You can arrange icons on the desktop, such as the Recycle Bin and shortcuts to programs, files, folders, and various types of documents, just as you would arrange real objects on top of a desk.
Help and How-to
