The Windows key is found on every keyboard, and we use it for various tasks. You can Enable and Disable the Windows Key with different methods. You can also utilize the Windows key in tandem with another key.
For example, pressing the Windows key + G will launch the Windows game bar, and pressing the Windows key + S will launch the Search dialog box.
Maybe you’re a gamer who keeps touching the Window key in the middle of a video game or a power user who likes to make greater use of the conveniently situated button. You will be unable to accomplish these activities if the Windows key is not functioning properly.
Methods To Enable and Disable the Windows Key
- Press The Win Lock Key On Keyboard
- Change Registry settings
- Press Fn + F6 or Fn + Windows Keys
- Use AutoHotkey
- Use Gaming mode On the keyboard
- Use SharpKeys
- Use Keyboard Software
- Use Registry Editor to Disable Windows Key hotkeys
- Use Disable Windows Key app
- Disable The Windows Key Using Powertoys
- Use Group Policy Editor
- Use Disable Windows Key Reg
1. Press the Win Lock Key On Keyboard
If you’re using a gaming keyboard, make sure there’s a Win Lock key. If so, hit this key to Enable And Disable The Windows key. A few people reported that pushing the Win Lock key on their gaming keyboard, such as the Logitech G15, cured their problem.
See your gaming keyboard’s technical manual if you can’t find the Win Lock key. Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
2. Change Registry settings
You’ll need to use Registry Editor to Enable And Disable The Windows Key. I recommend backing up the registry database before doing any registry configuration. In a misconfiguration, you can restore the registry database to a previous state in which everything was working well.
Because the Standard user account cannot make any system changes, you’ll need to utilize an administrator account for this technique.
- Enter regedit by pressing Windows Key + R.
- Press Enter or click OK.
- Select All as the Export range, save the file to a safe location, and click Save.
- Go to Computer/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Control/Keyboard layout
- Right-click the empty spot in the right pane and select New >Binary Value from the menu.
- As the name of the new value, type Scancode Map.
- In the Data field, double-click Scancode Map value and type 00000000000000000300000000005BE000005CE000000000.
- Make an extra effort to double-check that the value entered is right. Now press OK.
- Close Registry Editor and restart your computer after that.
- Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
3. Press Fn + F6 or Fn + Windows Keys
To Enable And Disable The Windows Key, I will use combination keys. Enable And Disable The Windows Key, use Fn + F6. This process works on all PCs and notebooks, independent of the manufacturer.
Also, pressing the “Fn + Windows” key might sometimes restore functionality. This method only works on the laptop as there is no Fn key on Windows PC. Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
4. Use AutoHotkey
AutoHotkey is a well-known and powerful program for changing the function of any key on your keyboard. It’s small, consumes very few system resources, and is simple.
Because it does not interfere with the operation of other programs, it is an excellent choice for use alongside them. Many gamers use AHK to create custom hotkeys without experiencing any performance issues.
- AHK can be used for two different purposes. You can either disable your Windows key completely or remap it to a new purpose.
- To begin, go to the official website and download AutoHotkey.
- To install AHK on your PC, run the short setup file.
- Right-click on an empty spot in any directory on your computer. Go to New > AutoHotkey Script from the menu that displays.
- Give it any title you like and hit Enter. Select Edit script from the context menu when you right-click this file.
- You are not required to write any esoteric code. Simply delete everything and type in the following:
- LWin:: Return
- You can use the script right immediately after saving and exiting the file.
- Simply double-click on the script to disable the Windows key. Right-click the AHK system tray icon and select Exit to re-enable it.
- If you wish to remap the Windows key to something else instead of disabling it, simply replace the Return in the code with the key you desire.
- You can remap the Windows key to serve as the Enter key in the following way:
- LWin::Enter
- An entire list of all the keycodes for every button on the keyboard and mouse is also available.
- Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
5. Use Gaming mode On The Keyboard
Many gaming keyboards offer a Gaming mode feature that makes it simple to Enable And Disable The Windows Key. Gaming mode is normally activated by pressing a certain keyboard shortcut.
- Remember that not all keyboards support this feature, so double-check to see if yours does before using it.
- The quickest and easiest way to disable Windows Key is to activate the Gaming mode.
- Some keyboards have a controller icon on one of their keys so you can quickly locate the Gaming mode shortcut key.
- If you can’t discover the shortcut on your own, I recommend looking for thorough instructions on activating Gaming mode in your keyboard manual.
- Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
6. Use SharpKeys
SharpKeys is a free and portable utility that allows you to remap your keys and deactivate them or assign them to certain functions. Remember that this is a strong program, and you use it at your peril.
- SharpKeys is now available for download.
- Click Add once the application has started.
- There will now be two columns. In the left pane, select Type Key and then press the Windows Key.
- To choose the pressed key, click OK.
- Select Turn Key Off and then OK to save your settings in the right pane.
- Now press the Write to the Registry key.
- Simply restart your computer or log out and log back in to effect the changes.
- Start Sharpkeys, choose the desired key from the menu, then click Delete to restore Windows Key.
- Click the Write to Registry button after deleting the key.
- Restart the PC or log off and back on to effect the changes.
- Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
7. Use Keyboard Software
Gaming mode Software is available on several gaming keyboards. These keyboards normally come with software that allows you to customize settings like Enable And Disable The Windows Key.
- Some PC issues, such as corrupted repositories or missing Windows files, are difficult to resolve.
- Your system may be partially broken if you have problems repairing an error.
- Additionally, you can activate Gaming mode using the apps.
- Remember that not all keyboards and apps enable Gaming mode, so check your keyboard manual to see if this option is available.
- Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
8. Use Registry Editor to Disable Windows Key hotkeys
You won’t be capable of using Windows Key shortcuts when your PC restarts. This is important if you want to prohibit users from utilizing Windows Key shortcuts to access certain secret functions of your system.
- Start the Registry Editor.
- Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows, then CurrentVersion\Policies\
- Go to HKEY CURRENT USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ then CurrentVersion\Policies\
- Choose New > DWORD from the right-click menu in the right panel (32-bit value).
- Assign the name NoWinKeys to the new DWORD.
- To open the properties of the NoWinKeys DWORD, double-click it.
- To save changes, modify Value data to 1 and click OK.
- Close Registry Editor and restart the PC to have the changes take effect.
- Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
9. Use Disable Windows Key App
The simplest approach to Enable And Disable The Windows Key in Windows 10 is to use third-party apps. This fix has the advantage of allowing you to toggle the Windows key on and off as needed.
- Download and run the application, extract the zip file’s contents, and then double-click the WinKill executable file.
- WinKill is one such example. It does not require installation, and you may think nothing has happened, but its icon should show in your taskbar’s system tray.
- It will no longer respond when you press the Window key since WinKill has disabled it.
- Click the WinKill to remove the red cross, or right-click it and select “Toggle” to reactivate the key.
- Alternatively, you can pick “Exit” to close WinKill and restore the Windows key.
- Because the software does not start with Windows, you must run it manually each time you need it.
- Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
10. Disable The Windows Key Using Powertoys
If you want to Enable And Disable The Windows Key to do nothing when pressed entirely, you can use Microsoft PowerToys to “remap” it. This set of customized tools for Windows 10 is free to download and comes with many handy features. This is how you can utilize the Keyboard Manager.
- Download the PowerToysSetup executable file from Microsoft PowerToys.
- Install the software on the computer and run it from the Start menu.
- When PowerToys opens, select Settings from the “Keyboard Manager” option in the left-hand menu.
- To enter the “Remap keys” window, make sure “Enable Keyboard Manager” is turned on and click the “Remap a key” button.
- Click the + sign, and select “Key” from the drop-down menu. Select “Win” from the list of options. Now select Disable from the “Mapped To” menu. To confirm, click OK.
- Windows will notify you that you will no longer be able to use the Win key. Click “Continue Anyway” if this is what you want.
- There is no need to restart your computer because both Windows keys on your keyboard will be deactivated immediately.
- Close PowerTools and re-enable the Windows key: Right-click the system tray icon and select “Exit.”
- Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
11. Use Group Policy Editor
The Local Group Policy Editor is an application that lets a network administrator change settings for several users or computers on the same network. One of these options is to Enable And Disable The Windows Key hotkey.
Even though the application is designed to manage a network of computers, it may also be used to specify settings for a single computer.
This solution will not work if you are using the Windows Home edition. The Group Policy Editor is available in the Windows Pro and Enterprise editions.
- Write gpedit.msc in the search bar and press Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
- A new window will open with the Local Group Policy Editor. All of the setting categories are accessible from the left pane.
- Select Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer from the drop-down menu.
- In the right pane, you’ll find a list of options. Double-click the Turn off Windows Key Hotkeys option after scrolling down to find it.
- Toggle the radio button to Enabled in this new box, then select OK to save the changes.
- That concludes the discussion. The Windows Key will be unavailable to all users on this machine. You can always re-enable it by following the same steps.
- Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
12. Use Disable Windows Key Reg
Unlike AHK, nothing needs to be enabled repeatedly. It also works on Windows Home, unlike the Group Policy Editor. On the other hand, modifying your register is not a task to be taken lightly.
The registry is a database that your operating system uses to keep track of basic settings. Playing with these tracks can cause your system to become unstable and cause major problems.
- Open the Registry Editor, write regedit into the search box and enter.
- You can see the “keys” (consider them categories) on the left pane of the Registry Editor and the values saved in them on the right.
- By navigating through the categories or typing it into the address box at the top, get to HKEY_CURRENT/USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Policies/Explorer.
- Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value from the right-click menu on any empty spot in the right panel.
- This key should be called NoWinKeys. Make sure it’s spelled correctly; otherwise, the operating system won’t recognize it.
- Set the DWORD value you just created to 1 by double-clicking on it. To save it, select OK.
- The changes will take effect when you restart the computer after disabling the Windows key. The modifications will take effect. Simply erase the NoWinKey DWORD if you wish to re-enable it.
- Check if you can Enable and Disable the Windows Key.
Conclusion
Windows shortcuts are an important element of the PC experience, and many of us use them frequently. Many keyboard shortcuts in Windows 10 use the Windows key.
However, if you mistakenly press the Windows key while gaming and end up bringing up odd menus or shutting the game, it can be a pain. To “Enable and Disable the Windows Key,” follow the steps outlined above.
