How to Create a Shortcut to Eject CD or DVD Drive
Windows provides a contextual right click menu item of “Eject”, which will be shown when users right click on CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or CD/DVD burner/writer optical drive, and when selected will eject or open the CD/DVD disc tray. For some reason, it may be useful to create an Eject shortcut or icon that will auto eject and open CD or DVD drive when click on the shortcut. The “Eject” shortcut can be placed on desktop or Quick Launch bar or any other convenient place for easy and fast access, eliminating the need to press the physical eject button on the drive.
How to Create Shortcut to Eject the CD or DVD Drive
To create an Eject CD/DVD shortcut, we need to rely on third party utility which has open and eject CD/DVD tray function. One such software application which is free and small is Eject CD 1.0 by Alex Nolan, a very tiny program which can be used to eject the default CD drive, DVD drive, or burner and writer from the command prompt or from a batch file. Of course, it’s possible to be called as target from shortcut too.
Note: You can also make use of third party programs listed here used to close the CD/DVD drive.
Download Eject CD.
Actually, there is no installation required for EjectCD.exe. So you can just place it on desktop, Quick Launch bar, or any folder you like, and simply double click on it to eject the CD/DVD drive. If you decide to store the executable in Program Files, and want to create a shortcut on desktop that call the program to eject disc tray of CD, use following step:
- Right click on the EjectCD.exe.
- Choose Send To.
- Select Desktop (Create Shortcut).

Then assign a name, such as “Eject CD” or “Eject DVD” to the shortcut on desktop by renaming it. By default it will be named “ejectcd – Shortcut” in Windows Vista and “Shortcut to ejectcd” in Windows XP. Users can also change the icon of the shortcut.
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Once created, the eject CD/DVD shortcut or icon can be moved anywhere, and when double click, will immediately eject open the optical drive. Users can also assign an shortcut key to the shortcut so that CD/DVD drive can be ejected with just keyboard press, or create another shortcut to close the door of CD/DVD drive.
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June 3rd, 2009 19:07
mad
April 10th, 2008 15:03
[...] reading How to Create a Shortcut to Eject CD or DVD Drive at Tip and [...]
April 5th, 2008 00:50
[...] or open, and, if motorized (notebook computer out of luck), close the optical drives. (Also see create Eject CD/DVD shortcut and create Close CD/DVD shortcut) EjectMe! works in all version of Windows operating system, [...]
April 3rd, 2008 00:57
[...] can create a shortcut to open or eject the CD/DVD drive, it’s time to create another shortcut to close the CD/DVD-ROM or CD/DVD burner or writer [...]
April 2nd, 2008 07:52
VB.NET Code
'private field:Private setTrayStatus As Long
'API
Private Declare Function mciSendString Lib "winmm.dll" Alias "mciSendStringA" _
(ByVal lpstrCommand As String, ByVal lpstrReturnString As String, _
ByVal uReturnLength As Integer, ByVal hwndCallback As Integer) As Integer
'use this code to open the tray:
setTrayStatus = mciSendString("Set CDAudio Door Open", Nothing, 0, 0)
'use this code to close the tray:
setTrayStatus = mciSendString("Set CDAudio Door Closed", Nothing, 0, 0)
April 1st, 2008 16:20
Frankly I don’t know, But I don’t like using third party.
thanks .
April 1st, 2008 14:02
Not as I know of. If you manage to find a method using Windows internal DLL to eject CD-ROM drive, do share.
April 1st, 2008 13:58
Can I do this without third party?
Thanks a lot 4 efforts.
April 1st, 2008 13:58
[...] to press the open or eject button to open the CD or DVD drive disc tray inconvenient, then you can create a shortcut to fast access the eject CD and DVD drive function. Shouldn’t it be nicer if user can also simply press a keyboard shortcut or keyboard [...]