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Is there a win hotkey combination to start your browser? I know that win + E will start windows explorer, but I have found nothing to start the browser in windows 7?

If there isn't such a key is there a utility that could be installed to set up the combination like Win+B?

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4 Answers 4

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Some keyboards have special keys that open a browser, probably using special HID keycodes or application software. You could also try setting up a shortcut key or use another method for launching the program.

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  • Site ahend contains malware (the first link for shortcut key)
    – JohnnyBizzle
    Aug 4, 2015 at 10:47
  • The specific article to the first link (TheTechFAQ) seems dead.
    – Andrew T.
    Feb 12, 2018 at 10:35
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If your browser is pinned to the taskbar you can press Win+Nmbr, where Nmbr is the corresponding number where the icon is in the taskbar.

For example, I have IE on the first position in the taskbar. So when I press Win+1 IE comes up.

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  • Are you certain this is a standard Windows feature? It does not work on my system (Windows Server 2003), and I did not find it in a list of Windows XP shortcuts on the net.
    – sleske
    Jul 29, 2010 at 8:28
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    It's a standard feature on windows 7. Perhaps Vista. But not Server 2003 or XP.
    – Smetad Anarkist
    Jul 29, 2010 at 10:06
  • its a feature of anyone that has the aero interface. vista, 2008, win7 and 2008 R2.
    – MikeJ
    Jul 29, 2010 at 20:06
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    Just FYI, if you already have a browser window open it will bring that to the front, instead of opening a new one, when using this shortcut.
    – bfhd
    Sep 18, 2015 at 0:14
  • Works great in Windows 11, thank you.
    – Bogdan0x400
    Jul 25, 2022 at 14:52
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AutoHotkey will do that nicely. Say for Windows Key + b

#b::Run, iexplore.exe
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Right click your browser shortcut, wherever it is, and choose properties. Then pick a shortcut key in the "shortcut key" box. This might start a new instance every time, I'm not sure.

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  • It does start a new instance, and I think it takes only Ctrl+Alt+Something as a keyboard combination.
    – Ezra Steinmetz
    Apr 2, 2018 at 19:55

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