There are 5 main ways to quickly launch programs on Windows: 1) Using taskbar keyboard shortcuts to launch pinned programs, 2) Searching the start menu by typing a program's name, 3) Creating custom shortcut keys for frequently used programs, 4) Opening the run dialog by pressing Windows key + R and typing a program's name, 5) Using third-party launchers like Launchy which allows launching programs by typing their name in a search box.