- Create shortcuts using the browser where you are signed in using the Google account.
- You can create shortcuts for individual files from the Google Drive app on Windows.
- If you keep desktop icons hidden, it’s best to pin them to the Start and Taskbar.
Note : Ensure that the Google Docs or Sheets website is open in the browser if you want to add shortcuts to any particular file. We will need this for all the methods.
Method 1: Chrome’s Create Shortcut Feature
Step 1: Click on the three-dot vertical menu on Chrome and navigate to Save and share .
Step 2: To create the shortcut on the Desktop, click on the Create shortcut menu.
Step 3: A pop-up window will ask you to input the name. You can also choose to open in windowed mode so it doesn’t mix with any existing browser tab. Check the box for Open as window .
Step 4: Click on the Create button, and it will instantly create the shortcut with the same name.
Note: If you are on Windows, it will prompt you to add it to Taskbar. On Mac, it will be added to the app list, and you can easily find it using the Finder.
If you use Edge, you have direct options to pin to Taskbar and Start menu from menu.
Method 2: Drag and Drop the URL to the Desktop
This method is faster and applicable to any Web browser. However, you must be in windowed mode since we must use the drag-and-drop method.
Step 1: Double-click to select the URL in the address bar.
Step 2: Drag and drop the URL onto your desktop, and you should see a shortcut appear instantly.
If it’s a file, the shortcut should be automatically named with the appropriate file name. Also, unlike the shortcut we created earlier, the icon, in this case, will be of the browser.
Method 3: Create Desktop Shortcut Manually
Creating manual shortcuts is a drag compared to the two methods above. However, you should find it helpful if you have a bunch of Docs, Sheets, or Slide files for which you want to create shortcuts without opening them in a browser first.
Step 1: Right-click a vacant area on your desktop — or any other location within File Explorer — and click New > Shortcut .
Step 2: Enter the URL of the Docs, Sheets, or Slides Web apps, or paste the URL of a specific file in the text box next to the Browse button. Once done, click Next to proceed.
Step 3: Name the shortcut on the subsequent screen and click Finish .
That’s it! Repeat the procedure for any other shortcuts you want to create, but add different names so they don’t conflict.
Method 4: Install Google Drive
Rather than creating shortcuts yourself, there is another way to get original Docs, Sheets, and Slides shortcuts on your desktop. However, that involves installing Google Drive , so use this method if you don’t mind an additional background app from slowing things down at startup.
Once you install the app, it will automatically create the shortcuts for each application.
