How to Create a Screen Saver Shortcut in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
InformationThis tutorial will show you how to create a screen saver shortcut that can be pinned or used anywhere to let you manually run a screen saver when you like in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.
Here's How:
1. Right click or press and hold on an empty area on desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.
2. Type the command below for the screen saver you want into the location area, and click/tap on the Next button. (see screenshot and table below)
NOTE: Substitute full path to screen saver .scr file in the command below with the actual full path to the .scr file within quotes.
%windir%\explorer "full path to screen saver .scr file"
For Example: If I wanted to have a 3D Text screen saver shortcut then I would type this below exactly for the location.
%windir%\explorer "C:\Windows\System32\ssText3d.scr"
[TABLE=class:-grid,-width:-600][TR][TD]Default Screen Savers
[/TD]
[TD]
Location
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
3D Text
[/TD]
[TD]
C:\Windows\System32\ssText3d.scr
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
Blank
[/TD]
[TD]
C:\Windows\System32\scrnsave.scr
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
Bubbles
[/TD]
[TD]
C:\Windows\System32\Bubbles.scr
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
Mystify
[/TD]
[TD]
C:\Windows\System32\Mystify.scr
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
Photos
[/TD]
[TD]
C:\Windows\System32\PhotoScreensaver.scr
[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]
Ribbons
[/TD]
[TD]
C:\Windows\System32\Ribbons.scr
[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]
3. Type Screen Saver for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You can name this anything you would like though.
4. Right click or press and hold on the new Screen Saver shortcut on your desktop, 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)
%windir%\System32\PhotoScreensaver.scr
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. In Vista or Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar (Windows 7) or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
10. In Windows 8, 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.
11. If available, you can also set the screen saver settings (step 4 in Option Two at this link) for this screen saver to what you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Change the Screen Saver in Windows 7 and Windows 8
- How to Create a "Screen Saver Settings" Shortcut in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
- How to Add and Restore the "Windows Energy Screen Saver" Back in Windows 7 and Windows 8
- How to Add and Restore the "Aurora Screen Saver" Back in Windows 7 and Windows 8
- How to Add and Restore the "Windows Logo Screen Saver" Back in Windows 7 and Windows 8
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