Windows HotKeys

How to Disable or Enable Windows Hotkeys in Vista

information   Information
This will show you how to enable or disable all of the keyboard shortcuts that have the Windows Key in them. You can do this for all users accounts, or just your user account on the computer.
Note   Note
This is for the Windows Key + key hotkeys that provides shortcuts for Start Menu, Quick Launch, and task swapping. EX: Quick Launch - Windows Key + (1 to 0)





OPTION ONE
Disable Windows Hotkeys for Current User Only

Using a REG File Download:
1. To Disable Windows Hotkeys
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.​
Disable_Current_Windows_Hotkeys.reg
download

B) Go to step 3.​

2. To Enable Windows Hotkeys again -
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.​
Enable_Current_Windows_Hotkeys.reg.​
download

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.​
4. Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.​
5. Click on Run, Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.​
6. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the changes.​
7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.​

Manually in the Registry Editor:
1. Open the Start Menu.​
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.​
3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.​
4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 5)​
NOTE: If you already have the Explorer key (folder) under Policies, then go to step 7.

Code:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
5. In the left pane, right click on Policies and click on New and Key.​
UserReg1.jpg

6. Type Explorer and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​
7. In the right pane, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value.​
UserReg2.jpg

8. Type NoWinKeys and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​
9. In the right pane, right click on NoWinKeys and click on Modify.​
UserReg3.jpg

10. To Disable Windows Hotkeys
A) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 11)​

11. To Enable Windows Hotkeys again
A) Type 0 (number zero) and click on OK.​
Modify.jpg

12. Close Regedit.​
13. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply changes.​






OPTION TWO
Disable Windows Hotkeys for All Users

Using a REG File Download:
1. To Disable Windows Hotkeys
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.​
Disable_All_Windows_Hotkeys.reg.​
download

B) Go to step 3.​

2. To Enable Windows Hotkeys again -
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.​
Enable_All_Windows_Hotkeys.reg.​
download

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.​
4. Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.​
5. Click on Run, Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.​
6. Log off and log on or restart the computer to apply the changes.​
7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.​

Manually in the Registry Editor:
1. Open the Start Menu.​
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.​
3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.​
4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)​

Code:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
5. In the right pane, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value.​
SystemReg1.jpg

6. Type NoWinKeys and press Enter.​
7. In the right pane, click on NoWinKeys and Modify. (See screenshot below)​
SystemReg2.jpg

8. To Disable Windows Hotkeys
A) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 9)​

9. To Enable Windows Hotkeys again
A) Type 0 (number zero) and click on OK.​
Modify.jpg

10. Close regedit.​
11. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply changes.​

That's it,
Shawn



 

Attachments

  • Disable_All_Windows_Hotkeys.reg
    306 bytes · Views: 20,802
  • Disable_Current_Windows_Hotkeys.reg
    304 bytes · Views: 32,536
  • Enable_Current_Windows_Hotkeys.reg
    304 bytes · Views: 28,030
  • Enable_All_Windows_Hotkeys.reg
    468 bytes · Views: 1,416
  • thumb_Windows_Key.png
    thumb_Windows_Key.png
    9.2 KB · Views: 321
Last edited:
my god...
You won't believe what I've just been through because my computer decided that this bloody key was down while my girlfriend was playing some card game on facebook which didn't even involve the keyboard, just clicking.
I've restarted a million times after anything that might require a restart and just to check if restarting itself would solve the problem. Turned the keyboard on and off, checked usb ports, unpluged and pluged, tried to change keyboard settings and compuer settings but I couldn't get onto the admistraters account becuase one of the letters in the password was 'u' which opened up accesibility options even in the log in page and copying and pasting isn't allowed for any password entering. Lucky I had a guest account otherwise i wouldn't have been able to log back in at all after the first restart. I am failrly certain that this problem was with the computer as the on screen keyboard had the same effect even though the windows key wasn't highlighted. Anyway after many painstaking google searches done by copying and pasting and making an account for this forum but, just before endeavoring to write my plea for help for some reason i decided to try my other keyboard even though i believed it to be a computer problem.

So, this message is now a question to anyone who can answer it:
Why the hell did this happen?
Why did pressing a key on my other keyboard solve the problem?
 

My Computer

Hello aaa, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You might check to see if a key on the keyboard itself may have been stuck pressed down. It's not uncommon for a key to get stuck.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
I tried the download, installed it, restarted, and my windows key was still working. So, I tried following the 'do it yourself' directions to find the code already there (as it should have been). I deleted it and tried doing it myself as directed, restarted, and still the button would open the start menu.

I'm getting really irritated with this key. I despise it so. Please...what else is there to do without ripping the blasted key off my keyboard?
 

My Computer

Hello Tyff, and welcome to Vista Forums.

If you have not already, then try OPTION TWO for all users to see if that would work for you instead. :)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
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