How to Open MS Office Apps with Hotkeys in Windows 11

Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, are essential tools in many work and educational environments. Opening them quickly can help improve productivity. In Windows 11, you can use keyboard shortcuts to launch these Microsoft Office applications efficiently. This article guides you through the process of setting up and using shortcut keys to open MS Office apps on your Windows 11 computer.

Method 1. Use Existing Keyboard Shortcuts

To quickly open Microsoft Office applications in Windows 11, you can utilize the Windows + Ctrl + Alt + Shift combination, followed by a specific letter for the desired application, which is the base combination for launching Microsoft 365 (Office).

• Opens Microsoft Word: Windows + Ctrl + Alt + Shift + W.
• Opens Microsoft Excel: Windows + Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E.
• Opens Microsoft PowerPoint: Windows + Ctrl + Alt + Shift + P.

Method 2. Create Custom Hotkeys for MS Office Apps

You can manually assign keyboard shortcuts to MS Office shortcuts on your desktop or in the Start menu. Here's how:

Step 1. Create a Desktop Shortcut for the App

Open the Start menu and locate the Microsoft Office app (e.g., Word). Right-click on the app and select Open file location. This opens the folder where the shortcut resides.

If there's no shortcut, you can create one: Right-click on the application executable (e.g., WINWORD.EXE for Word). Select Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).

Step 2. Assign a Keyboard Shortcut

On your desktop, right-click the newly created shortcut and select Properties. In the Shortcut tab, find the Shortcut key field. Click in the box and press the hotkey combination you want to assign (e.g., Ctrl + Alt + W for Word). Click Apply, then OK.

Method 3. Use Wise Hotkey

Pressing 3 or 4 keys together is not that convenient to launch one app, also creating a desktop shortcut to assign a keyboard shortcut involves time-consuming steps. Therefore, it’s recommended to use a professional third-party tool, Wise Hotkey, an easy-to-use app that allows you to add shortcuts for any program, folder, or website at any time, enabling you to quickly start and switch among them.

Step 2. Add the Microsoft Office Apps

Run the Wise Hotkey, and you will see a grid with many plus signs. Click any plus sign to add the desired program, folder, or website. If you cannot find the MS Office apps listed, please click the Add Application button to locate them according to the corresponding file path.

Step 3. Set Up Custom Hotkeys

After you add the program, like MS Excel, move your cursor to the box and press your desired combination keys on the keyboard. For Example, after adding Excel, I changed the shortcut to Alt + E. Then, the shortcut keys will appear in the box. After setting up all programs, close the window.

Now, you can go back to the desktop and press the hotkeys to verify the effect.

Conclusion

Using keyboard shortcuts is an effective way to open Microsoft Office apps quickly in Windows. Regardless of creating desktop shortcuts and assigning your preferred keyboard combinations, or using a professional tiny tool, like Wise Hotkey, you can increase productivity and navigate your workflow more efficiently.