AutoPlay Shortcut - Create in Windows 8 and 8.1

Brink · Nov 7, 2013

How to Create an "AutoPlay" Settings Shortcut in Windows 8 and 8.1

Information

AutoPlay lets you choose an action for different kinds of media when you plug in a device, insert media, or receive content from another person using Tap and Send. You can set AutoPlay to open different kinds of content, such as photos, music, and video on different kinds of media, such as drives, CDs, or DVDs. For example, you can use AutoPlay to select an app that will automatically open photos on a removable drive when you plug it into your PC. With AutoPlay, you don't have to open the same app or reselect preferences every time you plug in a certain device.

This tutorial will show you how to create or download an AutoPlay settings shortcut that opens to the PC settings and Control Panel locations in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.

EXAMPLE: AutoPlay in PC settings location
NOTE: This shortcut will only work in Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 editions.

EXAMPLE: AutoPlay in Control Panel location
NOTE: This shortcut works in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1 editions.

OPTION ONE

To Download an "AutoPlay" Settings Shortcut

1. Do step 2 or 3 below for which shortcut you wanted.

2. AutoPlay Settings in Control Panel Location Shortcut

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the ZIP file below, and go to step 4 below.

AutoPlay_(Control-Panel)_Shortcut.zip

3. AutoPlay Settings in PC settings Location Shortcut

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the ZIP file below, and go to step 4 below.

AutoPlay_(PC-settings)_Shortcut.zip

4. Save the .zip file to your desktop.

5. Open the .zip file and extract (drag and drop) the shortcut to your desktop.

6. Unblock the extracted shortcut.

7. If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

8. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like.

OPTION TWO

To Manually Create an "AutoPlay" Settings Shortcut

1. Right click or press and hold on an empty area of your desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.

2. Copy and paste either command below into the location area, and click/tap on the Next button. (see screenshot below)

(AutoPlay settings in PC settings location)

Note

If you are not have a US English Windows 8.1 installed, then you will need to change the en-US folder name in the command below for the folder name with your language instead for this to work.

Code:

%windir%\explorer.exe %localappdata%\Packages\windows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\Indexed\Settings\[COLOR=#FF0000][B]en-US[/B][/COLOR]\AAA_SettingsGroupAutoplayDefaults.settingcontent-ms

OR

(AutoPlay settings in Control Panel location)
%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{9C60DE1E-E5FC-40f4-A487-460851A8D915}

OR

%windir%\system32\control.exe /name Microsoft.AutoPlay

3. Type AutoPlay for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)

NOTE: You can name this shortcut anything you would like though.

4. Right click or swipe down on the new AutoPlay shortcut, and click/tap on Properties.

5. Click/tap on the Shortcut tab, then click/tap on the Change Icon button. (see screenshot below)

6. In the line under "Look for icons in this file", copy and paste the location below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

%SystemRoot%\system32\autoplay.dll

7. Select the icon highlighted in blue above, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot above)

NOTE: You can use any icon that you would like instead though.

8. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 5)

9. If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

That's it,
Shawn

AutoPlay Shortcut - Create in Windows 8 and 8.1

To Download an "AutoPlay" Settings Shortcut

To Manually Create an "AutoPlay" Settings Shortcut

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