Keyboard shortcut for creating a new folder or file? (Windows)

Question

Does anybody know if there's a keyboard shortcut equivilant to the right click -> New context menu in explorer?

Given that I suspect that there isn't, does anybody know of an explorer extension that offers something similar? It would be great to have a key combination that yielded an intellisense style dropdown (or similar) of the available file types!

Solution 1

The "simple way":

Using the Keyboard Accelerator Keys

You can use the keyboard accelerator keys: Alt + F to bring up the file menu, and then W for the New menu, and then F for new folder. So your shortcut key sequence ends up being F + W + F with the Alt key held down. (Try it out)

Note: this combination depends on the language of your Windows system.

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Alternative way 1:

Create your own shortcut like Ctrl + N with AutoHotKey

Script you have to hot key:

NOTE: "Display full path in title bar" must be checked in "folder options" of Windows Explorer.

^N:: WinGetActiveTitle aTitle InputBox, FolderName, Create New Folder, What would you like to name the folder?,

FileCreateDir %aTitle%\%FolderName%

MsgBox "%FolderName%" has been created in "%aTitle%". Return

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Alternative way 2:

mdAxelerator v1.0 (~26k)

It enables defining the shortcut key for creating new folder and making possible to change some other "create new folder" behaviours like default new folder name. This version works only with 2k/xp/2k3 (no nt 4.0 and 9x - sorry).

There are some useful features added like auto enter into just created folder.

Download link

Solution 2

CtrlShiftN creates a new folder in Windows 7.

You can use the keys in the context menu:

Menu » N » F

Or with the mouse:

Right-click » N » F

Solution 3

Ctrl+Shift+N to Create a new folder

This is a legacy command from win95, so it is available in all versions of windows since 95. Best place for window shortcuts is the window help and support file. Just open Help and Support then search for keyboard shortcuts, it is just that easy. I print them out and give them to my older PC students to help them understand the OS better. Works every time.

Solution 4

For Windows 8:

• Right click on the 'New item' button (on the right to the 'New folder' button)
• Select 'Add to Quick Access Toolbar'

Now the icon from the 'New item' button should appear on the top-left corner of the explorer window.

• Press [Alt]

Numerous small letters and number should appear at the top of the window. The small icons on the top-left corner of the explorer window should be indicated with numbers: 1, 2, 3, ...

Usually, the 'New item' button should have the number 3 assigned.

• Now you can just press [Alt]+3 and the New item popup menu will appear.

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Comments

[Ville M]

Does this only deal with creating new folders? What about new text files etc?

[Ivo Flipse]

The shortcut combo works for anything you can do with the Explorer menu

[rofrol]

or "Alt+f, w, t" superuser.com/questions/133175/…