You can create a hotkey in Windows 7 to quickly...

You can create a hotkey in Windows 7 to quickly open a program without an icon shortcut. Credit: Handout

Is your Windows 7 or XP desktop too cluttered with shortcut icons to find the one you need? Or, do you like your desktop pristine to let your wallpaper shine? Either way, you can create a hot key to quickly open a program without an icon shortcut. Here's how.

1. First, click the Windows Start button and find the program. If it's not on the short list that appears, click All Programs. If you still don't see it, type its name in the "Search programs and files" window.

2. When you find the program, right click on it, and from the list that appears, select Properties at the bottom. A window will open. Go to shortcut key. It will say "None."

3. The format for a hot key is pressing the CTRL and ALT keys plus a letter or number. In the shortcut key window, type the letter or number you want to assign to open the program; CTRL+ALT+the letter/number will appear. Press Apply, then OK. Now, any time you press those three keys together, the program will open.

On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra takes a look at the football awards given out in Nassau and Suffolk,  plus Jared Valluzzi and Jonathan Ruban with the plays of the year. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost, Michael A. Rupolo

Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 14: LI football awards On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra takes a look at the football awards given out in Nassau and Suffolk, plus Jared Valluzzi and Jonathan Ruban with the plays of the year.

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