QuickTips: Setup a Hotkey to Open a Website

Use Windows to create your own hotkey to access a frequently viewed website

by Matt J. Whetham, February 2011

To setup a hotkey in Windows to open a frequently visited website, simply use the following instructions:

1. Right –click on your desktop, then click “New” à “Shortcut”
2. In the field provided, type the full internet address (or, paste the internet address from your clipboard by pressing CTRL+V), and click “Next”
3. Give the shortcut a name, and click “Finish”
4. Right click on the newly created shortcut and click “Properties”
5. Under the tab “Web Document” there is a field called “Shortcut key”.  Click in the field to select it, and then press the desired hotkey combination in the box.  For example, press CTRL+SHIFT+G at the same time.  You will notice that the combination shows up in the field. 
6. Click “Apply” and then “OK”

You can now test it to see if you set it up properly by pressing the hotkey combination.  Your default web browser should now open up the website.  Be sure to leave the shortcut on the desktop.  If you delete it or move it from the desktop, the hotkey combination will no longer work.