The Store is one of the main attractions of Windows 8. It’s a place where you can look for both traditional desktop software and modern UI style (metro-style) apps. While desktop software aren’t available for download from the Store, one can safely install modern UI apps.
Enthusiasts and developers have been submitting new apps to the Store every day and the Store is growing every day.
If you are the owner of a PC or tablet running Windows 8 then the chances are high that you open the Windows 8 Store very often to search and install apps (see how to search Windows 8 Store).
While one can launch the Store app right from the Start screen wouldn’t it be nice if there was a hotkey present to open the Store? Users who like Windows 8 and Windows 8-style apps (aka metro-style apps) can follow the given below instructions to create a hotkey to launch Windows 8 Store app.
Create hotkey to open Windows 8 Store:
Step 1: Download MetroApp Links utility from here. MetroApp Links is the tool that we are going to use to create a shortcut of the Store app on the desktop. As you know, Windows 8 doesn’t let you create a shortcut of metros-style app on the desktop.
Step 2: Run the software, click the Create shortcut button next to the Store icon to place a shortcut of Store on the desktop.
Step 3: Right-click on the Store shortcut and then click Properties. Under Shortcuts tab, select Shortcut key box, press a keyboard combination that you want to use to open the Store app.
Please note that you need to press a combination of Ctrl + Alt + [your choice] only and Windows doesn’t allow you assign Windows key combination. For instance, you can assign Ctrl + Alt + S hotkey to open the Store.
Click Apply button. You are done! From now onwards, simply press the newly created hotkey to open the Store. Once the app is launched, you can use the Windows + Q hotkey to search the Store.
If you don’t want to see the Store shortcut on your desktop simply hide it. To do this, right-click on the shortcut, click Properties, under General tab, select Hidden, and then click Apply.
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