When you double-click one, it automatically goes to where the program is and runs it for you. They're bundles of instructions that do all the directory-scouring and executable-running for you. However, shortcuts make this process a lot easier. It involved a lot of clicking through directories of folders to get where you want to be.

In the early days of computers, you had to do this manually every time you wanted to run a new program. If you take the program out of its folder, it can't find the files it needs to run and throws up an error.Īs such, if you want to run a program, you have to venture to its home on the operating system and run the executable file (.exe) that runs it. Typically, when a program makes its home on your PC, it sets up all the files and data it needs to run within its folder. If you've ever dug through the Program Files folder on your computer, you've already seen these homes for yourself. The files on your computer have special 'homes' where they live. When you activate a shortcut, it feeds those instructions to the computer, then finds the file and runs it. Let's explore what makes shortcuts special and how they work.Ī shortcut is a set of instructions that tell the computer to open a file on a computer. Have you ever wondered how the shortcuts on your desktop work? They seem to function differently than other files on your computer, and for a good reason they're unique files that act differently from any other.

Mac shortcuts symbols explained