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<p class="MsoNormal">Hello,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Below are steps to configure a hotkey to launch a program in Windows 10.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These steps work even if you are not the administrator of the machine.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I recently have had to use a Windows 10 computer for work without administrator privileges.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Although many of us know how to make a 3-key hot key for an application and benefit from this method, it does not work when you are not the machine administrator.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I would like to hear from other blind Windows users about this issue and possible work-arounds.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, even though there may be many shortcuts on the desktop, if they are the result of an admin install, they are unchangeable without admin rights.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This means that if you are not the machine administrator, you can not use one of these shortcuts by going to properties and filling out shortcut hot key.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These 14 steps create a user generated shortcut which can be altered for a desired application<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you are the machine administrator and you already have a shortcut on the desktop, you can skip to step 8 and follow along.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1. Press Win + S<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2. Type the first few letters as you normally would when starting the application<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The resulting dialog box is split horizontally. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The left side is a list of results or list items whose names start with the letters you typed. That list is split vertically by best match at the top, then a list of apps, and finally search phrases for the web.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The right is the dialog for whichever list item from the left half is in focus.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">3. Once the list item of choice is in focus, right arrow to its dialog.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">4. Arrow down to 'Open File Location' press Enter. When the file location opens, a shortcut (or possibly the executable) will be in focus, but this one cannot be hotkeyed without admin rights.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">5. Press Shift + 10 to open its right click dialog<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">6. Press 's' to create a user shortcut on your desktop and confirm.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">7. Alt + F4 to close that location then Win + E to open Windows Explorer<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">8. Press windows-D to go to desktop.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">9. Press the first letter of your shortcut name until you land on the shortcut.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">10 Press Shift + F10 to open its right click dialog<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">11 Press 'r' to open properties for the shortcut<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">12 Tab to the 'Shortcut key' field. In my case tabbing twice brought me to the right field.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">13. Enter your hotkey combination. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I recommend the hotkey be 3 keys. ALT+CTRL+letter is a good choice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For example, ALT+CTRL+j for latest version of JAWS, JAWS 2023.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">14. Tab to the Apply button. In my case tabbing 6 times brought me to the right control.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There does not seem to be a Windows way to catalog user created hot keys.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You will know a particular combination is in use when you try to type it in the 'Shortcut key' field and it does not take.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you delete the shortcut, the hotkey combination applied to it will only be available for reuse after machine restart.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best Regards,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">John<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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