If you
routinely use a specific set of programs, you can set up hotkeys that will
launch or directly switch among them instead of cycling with Alt-Tab.
Find a
desktop or Start menu shortcut that launches a program and select Properties.
On the Shortcut tab, click in the Shortcut key box, and press the key
combination you want to use.
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Be sure to choose key combinations that are not
needed by any of your programs; for example, use Alt-Shift-1, Alt-Shift-2.