How to Make Desktop Shortcuts in macOS

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If you want to access frequently used folders, files and apps on a Windows PC, creating a desktop shortcut can be a huge timer. Macs have the same functionality, but creating a shortcut (also known as an "alias") in macOS requires a slightly different procedure. Follow these steps to start creating your aliases for apps, folders or files.

1. Click on the Finder icon at the bottom left of the screen (the leftmost icon in the Dock).

2. Right-click on the Folder, File, or Application you'd like to create a shortcut for on the left side of the window.

3. Select Make Alias.

4. Click enter and drag the alias to your desktop.

The icon is now easily accessible on your desktop.

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David Eitelbach

David was a writer at Laptop Mag. His coverage spanned how-to guides, reviews, and product rankings. He reviewed Asus, Lenovo, and Gigabyte laptops; guided readers on how to do various things in Excel, and even how to force quit an app in macOS. Outside of Laptop Mag, his work has appeared on sites such as Tom's Guide and TechRadar.