Cannot use windows key as hotkeys in Windows 10

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qazplm
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2015 10:58 am

Cannot use windows key as hotkeys in Windows 10

Post by qazplm »

Since I upgraded to Windows 10, hotkeys that contain windows key no longer work. Is this fixable? And if yes, can you override windows hotkeys; for example: Win + S to show Everything instead of Cortana? Thank you!
mwsm
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 2:01 am

Re: Cannot use windows key as hotkeys in Windows 10

Post by mwsm »

You can indeed disable the default Windows hotkeys selectively, if you don't mind tweaking the registry:

http://voidtools.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=955#p8942
http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread.php/153042#post897852
http://geoffchappell.com/notes/windows/shell/explorer/globalhotkeys.htm

For example, to disable Win+S you would create a "DisabledHotkeys" registry key (see the links above for details) and add an "S". Virtual-key codes for other keys:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/dd375731

Note that I have only tested this in Windows 7, not 10.
qazplm
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2015 10:58 am

Re: Cannot use windows key as hotkeys in Windows 10

Post by qazplm »

mwsm wrote:You can indeed disable the default Windows hotkeys selectively, if you don't mind tweaking the registry:

http://voidtools.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... =955#p8942
http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showth ... post897852
http://geoffchappell.com/notes/windows/ ... otkeys.htm

For example, to disable Win+S you would create a "DisabledHotkeys" registry key (see the links above for details) and add an "S". Virtual-key codes for other keys:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/dd375731

Note that I have only tested this in Windows 7, not 10.
Thank you very much, this works flawlessly. I didn't know about this trick before.
Amorie
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:21 am

Re: Cannot use windows key as hotkeys in Windows 10

Post by Amorie »

mwsm wrote:You can indeed disable the default Windows hotkeys selectively, if you don't mind tweaking the registry:

http://voidtools.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... =955#p8942
http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showth ... post897852
http://geoffchappell.com/notes/windows/ ... otkeys.htm

For example, to disable Win+S you would create a "DisabledHotkeys" registry key (see the links above for details) and add an "S". Virtual-key codes for other keys:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/dd375731

Note that I have only tested this in Windows 7, not 10.
Awesome, I didn't know about this either. Thanks for sharing mwsm.
uberthin
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 5:18 pm

Re: Cannot use windows key as hotkeys in Windows 10

Post by uberthin »

1) Stop windows (use the task manager to kill explorer.exe) Now explorer no longer has ownership of the keyboard shortcuts.

2) Use the task manager to run the program you want (file -> run new task)

3) In the program you want assign the keyboard shortcut you want.

4) Run explorer.exe again using the task manager (file -> run new task -> explorer)

5) The keyboard shortcut should still work fine in your program, since it was already taken when explorer started. You can close and reopen your program and things will still work.

6) Repeat all steps every time your computer restarts
NotNull
Posts: 5167
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 9:22 pm

Re: Cannot use windows key as hotkeys in Windows 10

Post by NotNull »

Creative! :)
itge13
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2021 12:22 pm

Re: Cannot use windows key as hotkeys in Windows 10

Post by itge13 »

just use autohotkey:

Code: Select all

#s::Run,C:\PROGRA~1\Everything\Everything.exe
if you want a new everything search window every time you click "windows-key + s" use:

Code: Select all

#s::
SetTitleMatchMode, 2
IfWinActive ahk_exe Everything.exe
{
send, ^n
}
Else
{
Run,C:\PROGRA~1\Everything\Everything.exe
}
return
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