How to: Create Access Keys for Windows Forms Controls Using the Designer
An access key is an underlined character in the text of a menu, menu item, or the label of a control such as a button. It enables the user to "click" a button by pressing the ALT key in combination with the predefined access key. For example, if a button runs a procedure to print a form, and therefore its Text property is set to "Print," adding an ampersand (&) before the letter "P" causes the letter "P" to be underlined in the button text at run time. The user can run the command associated with the button by pressing ALT+P. You cannot have an access key for a control that cannot receive focus.
Note
The dialog boxes and menu commands you see might differ from those described in Help depending on your active settings or edition. To change your settings, choose Import and Export Settings on the Tools menu. For more information, see Visual Studio Settings.
To create an access key for a control
- In the Properties window, set the Text property to a string that includes an ampersand (&) before the letter that will be the access key. For example, to set the letter "P" as the access key, type &Print into the grid.
See Also
Tasks
How to: Respond to Windows Forms Button Clicks
How to: Set the Text Displayed by a Windows Forms Control
Reference
Other Resources
Labeling Individual Windows Forms Controls and Providing Shortcuts to Them