The Windows button is found on every keyboard, and we use it every day to perform various actions. If you click on the Win button, the Start menu will open. Apart from this, you can also use the Win button with other keys on your keyboard.
For example, pressing Windows+E will open Windows Explorer. If you press Windows + R, you can open the “Run...” utility. In general, there are a huge number of combinations with this key and all of them are incredibly useful for any user.
However, if the Win key does not work, then these combinations can be easily forgotten. Why does this button stop working? There are several reasons why the Win button stopped working. These include problems with the keyboard, system settings, blocking key functionality, etc.
Method No. 1 Pressing the combination Fn + F6
This method is likely to work for some laptop users and those with specialized keyboards. Find the FN key on the keyboard of your PC or laptop (usually located in the lower left corner, next to CTRL).
Then find the F6 key and take a closer look at it, as its surface may display functionality activated by the FN+F6 combination. If you see something like a Win icon on this key, then try pressing the Fn + F6 key combination to activate or deactivate the Win key.
However, be careful, as on some laptops the Fn + F6 key combination may turn off the device's display or its touchpad. However, the F6 key should display functionality.
Method No. 2 Pressing the Win Lock key
The next method will require you to press the Win Lock key. This key was most often observed on older keyboards, which some users may still have.
In addition to older keyboards, the Win Lock key may also be present on a number of gaming devices. In the heat of battle, players can often accidentally press the Win key. This is precisely why the Win Lock key was introduced on gaming devices.
Perhaps you own either an old or a gaming keyboard (although there are exceptions and the Win Lock key may also be present on a regular keyboard). Find it and click to return functionality to the Win key.
Method #3 Cleaning the keyboard
It is unlikely that you will like the following question, but since we are here trying to solve the problem of a non-working Win button, we are forced to ask: how long have you cleaned your keyboard?
Yes, the fact is that the keys, when enough dirt accumulates, may simply begin to stick or not be pressed at all (or pressed, but not transmit a signal). Membrane keyboards are especially susceptible to contamination.
Open up the insides of your keyboard (it's not difficult at all) and then do a little cleaning. Especially near the Win key. Once you're done, reassemble the keyboard and test the Win key.
Method #4 Changing the connection port
In very rare cases, some keyboard buttons may not function correctly due to the port to which the keyboard itself is connected. Most keyboards nowadays connect via USB. Try connecting your keyboard to a different USB port and test the Win key. It is advisable to also test the functionality of other keys.
Sometimes users need to disable the keyboard of a laptop made by Asus, Acer, HP, Lenovo, Sony vaio and other brands temporarily or permanently. To learn how to correctly perform this operation in various ways on a laptop, read this article.
Temporarily disabling the keyboard
There are three ways to temporarily “de-energize” the keyboard (disable the built-in keyboard on the laptop). Let's look at their implementation step by step.
Method No. 1: in the Manager
1. To open the list of equipment, press “Win + Break” together and select “Device Manager” in the window that appears.
Or open “Start,” type “manager ...” in the search bar and then click “Device Manager” that appears at the top of the menu.
2. In the list of equipment, open the “Keyboards” section.
3. Right-click the line with the name of the connected keyboard. In the list of commands, click “Disconnect”.
4. Before turning off the equipment, you must confirm the command. In the “...do you really want to disable...” request panel, click the “Yes” button.
Method number 2: using the program
To quickly enable/disable the keyboard without delving into Windows settings, you can use special utilities. Let's get acquainted with the most popular solutions.
Kid Key Lock
Free application. Comes in a portable format (no installation required). Controlled by a set of commands from the keyboard:
- kklsetup - settings;
- kklquit - exit.
In the program options you can set the following blocking modes:
- mouse buttons;
- separate key, key combinations;
- global shutdown.
You can also change the character combination of the entry and exit commands from the configuration panel.
Blocker operating on the .NET Framework 3.5 platform (its presence in the system is required). After startup, it displays a panel with one single button to completely disable the keyboard, mouse and touchpad. Enabling is carried out using a “hot” combination: “Ctrl + Alt + Del” → “Esc” (to close the utility window).
Method number 3: on the command line
1. Open the Windows menu: click “Start”.
2. Type “CMD” in the search bar.
3. With administrator rights, run the file icon that appears in the panel.
4. In the console, type the command:
rundll32 keyboard, disable
4. Press "Enter".
How to turn off numbers?
To turn off the keyboard numbers (case) that appear on the display when you try to type the characters "J", "K", "L", try one of the following:
- press the Num lk (Num Lock) key;
- use the combination “Fn + Num Lock”, “Fn + F11”.
After switching the case, the letters will be printed again.
Shutdown forever
Complete deactivation may be necessary in cases where you need to disable the “native” keyboard and connect an additional one, or replace the keyboard panel with a new one (another model).
Before you completely disable the keyboard on your laptop, you need to find out its digital signature, or identifier. This procedure is performed like this:
1. Open the “Keyboard” section in the Task Manager (see Method No. 1 to temporarily disable it).
2. Right-click on the input device name.
3. Select “Properties” from the list.
4. In the new window, click the “Details” tab.
5. In the "Property" drop-down menu, set "Hardware ID".
6. Right-click on the first entry in the value field (this is the identifier). In the menu, click "Copy".
7. Transfer the entry to Notepad or another text editor. Or save to the system clipboard. You will need it for deactivation.
After receiving the ID, proceed to configure Group Policy:
1. Press "Win + R". In the “Run” line, type - gpedit.msc. Click OK.
2. Click: Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates.
Experienced users have been struggling with “fashionable” keyboards, equipped with additional functional Power/Sleep/WakeUp buttons in the most indecent places thanks to the light hand of a stupid (there’s no other way to say it) designer.
Dmitry Tarasov offers a simple solution.
So, go to the main Start menu and select “Control Panel”:
Select “Power Options”:
On the tab we additionally indicate the reaction of our operating system to pressing these buttons.
If we indicate “no action required,” then any clicks on the “Power” and “Sleep” buttons will be ignored.
Here is a simple solution to a simple problem.
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Hello. As you can imagine, the keyboard is a constantly used tool for me. Both as an author of articles, and as a gamer, and even banal surfing on the Internet, I am associated with constant typing to search for new ideas. And, of course, I still have problems pressing the Win key (the one with the Windows icon). Yes, this happens much less often now, but it does happen. Due to the specifics of my site, I cannot disable it, I need it for work. But for you, those who don’t need it in principle and who never use it, I can tell you how to do it.
So, for this we need in the registry, in the branch:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout
create binary parameter Scancode Map. And give it a value:
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 5B E0 00 00 5C E0 00 00 00 00
But you cannot do this through the built-in Windows registry editor. And everything written above is indicated for professionals who can do it manually themselves. For ordinary users I have simpler solutions :)
So, since the registry editor is not suitable for us, we have several options left:
1) Add a parameter via cmd
3) Using registry export files
A more primitive, but no less effective method is reg files. Let's move on
If the Win key on your keyboard bothers you and you do not use its combinations with other keys, then you can disable it. Due to accidental pressing of this key, users often crash from games or other programs. This key is disabled through the registry.
First, you will need to open the Registry Editor. To do this, open a search for your operating system (in Windows 7, click on the button "Start", search at the very bottom, in Windows 8, it's in the pop-up menu on the right of the screen), and enter " regedit ».
Now in the registry editor itself you need to go to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout , then, in the right part of the window, right-click on an empty space and create Binary parameter under the name " Scancode Map ».
After that, right-click on the newly created file and select "Change binary data" .
In the window that opens, you need to enter the same as in the picture below, only what is in the red frame. When entering data, two characters will be automatically entered; in addition, you do not need to press the space bar.
After you have entered all the characters, press OK and restart the computer. The Win key is disabled. To turn it back on, simply delete the “Scancode Map” file.