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The Windows key on your keyboard makes it easy to execute shortcuts for system applications, open your Start menu, and much more. Losing this functionality can be frustrating to deal with, as it may slow down your workflow or make your system harder to navigate.

Luckily, there are many ways to solve this issue. In this article, you’ll learn several ways to potentially restore your Windows key’s functionality on internal and external keyboards. Continue reading to see how to fix the Windows key not working on your Windows 10 system.

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What causes the Windows key not working issue?

There can be multiple different causes for your Windows key to stop working that many users have complained about. Using user reports from various sources, we were able to identify some of the most common causes of this Windows 10 problem. View the list below and verify the issue at hand. Pinpointing the cause may help later on during the troubleshooting process.

• Hardware issue. If your keyboard is damaged physically, it could lead to issues with its functioning. This is most commonly damage to the cable used to connect the hardware to your PC. Wireless keyboards are less likely to have this issue.

• A new major Windows 10 update rolled out. Sometimes major Windows 10 updates can break things on your computer. It's possible that a driver update is required to fix your hardware, especially if you use a gaming keyboard.

• Windows 10's Game Mode interferes with your keyboard. Specific keyboards such as Razer Blackwidow are known to have conflicts with Windows 10’s Game Mode. Disable gaming mode to fix the error following our guide below.

• The Windows key has been disabled. Some users have noticed that the Windows key isn’t functioning because it’s been disabled in the system. It might've been disabled by an application, a person, malware, or Game Mode.

• Windows 10’s Filter Key bug. There’s a known bug in Windows 10’s Filter Key feature which causes issues with typing on the login screen.

After identifying some common causes, we can move on to getting rid of the problem. Our article aims to bring you the most effective methods for restoring the functionality of your Windows key. Even without prior experience in troubleshooting, you can easily fix everything by following our steps.

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How to Fix the Windows Key Not Working on Windows 10

Prerequisite: Turn on the on-screen keyboard

Before troubleshooting, we recommend turning on the on-screen keyboard in Windows 10. This will allow you to navigate menus easier and follow instructions even if you need the Windows key to launch specific apps. Note that the virtual keyboard may not allow you to use the Windows key if it’s been disabled on a system level.

Here are the steps to use the on-screen keyboard in Windows 10:

1. Open the Settings app by clicking on the gear icon in the Start menu. Alternatively, you can open the app by pressing down the Windows and I keys on your on-keyboard.

2. Choose the Ease of Access tile.

3. Scroll down in the left-side panel, then click on Keyboard listed under the Interaction section.

4. Click on the toggle under “Use the On-Screen Keyboard” to turn on the virtual keyboard in Windows 10.

Now, you can get started with the troubleshooting.

Method 1: Turn off the Filter Keys feature

As mentioned above, the Filter Keys feature has a known bug that causes issues with your keyboard. You can simply turn Filter Keys off by following the steps below, and potentially restore your Windows key functionality within minutes.

1. Press the Windows + R keys using the on-screen keyboard to bring up the Run utility, then type in “control” and click the OK button. This is going to open the Control Panel.

   

2. Make sure that your view mode is set to Category.

3. Next, click on the Ease of Access heading.

4. Click on the “Change how your keyboard works” link found in the Ease of Access Center.

5. Make sure that the checkbox next to “Turn on Filter Keys” is empty. If you see a checkmark, simply click on it to remove it.

   

6. Click the Apply button, then click OK. You should be able to test if your Windows key functions as intended now.
   
   

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Method 2: Use a PowerShell command to restore the Windows key functionality

PowerShell is an extremely powerful tool for making adjustments to your computer, as well as troubleshooting. It gives you the ability to execute commands and directly tell your PC what to do through a scripting language. This all may sound complicated at first, but don’t worry — we’ll walk you through everything you need to do.

PowerShell is an extremely powerful tool for making adjustments to your computer, as well as troubleshooting. It gives you the ability to execute commands and directly tell your PC what to do through a scripting language.

This all may sound complicated at first, but don’t worry — we’ll walk you through everything you need to do.

1. Press the Windows + R keys on the on-screen keyboard. This is going to bring up the Run utility.

2. Type in “Powershell” and press the Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys on your keyboard. Doing so, you’re launching PowerShell with administrative permissions.

3. If prompted, click Yes to allow PowerShell to make changes on your device.

4. Once in PowerShell, copy and paste in the following command, then hit the Enter key on your keyboard to execute it: Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation) \AppXManifest.xml”}

5. After the command has finished running, you should be able to use the Windows key once again. If it doesn’t work just yet, proceed to a different method in our article.

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Method 3: Make adjustments to your Registry

You can simply try to apply a Registry tweak to restore everything into working order.

Warning: Before beginning this guide, we recommend creating a backup of your Registry. If you’re not sure how to create and import Registry backups, watch “Registry Backup, Restore, Import And Export” from Windows Ninja.

Here’s what you need to do.

1. Press the Windows + R keys on your on-screen keyboard to open Run, then type “Regedit” into the input field. Press the OK button to launch the Registry Editor.

2. You can navigate the Registry Editor by expanding folders using the arrow icon next to their names. Using this, locate the following Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout

Alternatively, you can also copy and paste the key into the Registry Editor’s address bar for faster navigation and,

1. Right-click on the “Scancode Map” registry key and press the “Delete” option to remove the key. If you can’t find this key, it’s most likely not available on your device — proceed with a different method below.

2. After deleting “Scancode Map,” close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

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Method 4: Disable Game Mode in Windows

Microsoft recognizes the demand for gaming optimizations in Windows 10. This is the reason why the Game Mode feature exists. However, it’s still far from perfect and may cause conflicts, disable features you need, or overall provide a bad gaming experience.

Users have reported that Game Mode causes conflicts with keyboards, making the Windows key unusable as a result. You can easily turn it off following our quick guide to verify whether or not it causes any problems.

1. Click on the Start menu in your taskbar (Windows icon) and choose Settings. Alternatively, you can use the Windows + I keyboard shortcut if you turned the on-screen keyboard on.

2. Choose “Gaming” from the available menu options.

3. Switch to the “Game Mode” tab using the menu in the left panel.

4. Ensure that the toggle under “Game Mode” is set to display “Off.”

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Method 5: Create a new user account

An interesting yet easy solution you can try to resolve issues with the Windows key is making a new user account. If everything works fine on the new user, simply transfer your files over and begin using the new account.

1. Click on the Start menu and choose “Settings.” You can alternatively use the Windows + I keyboard shortcut from the on-screen keyboard as well.

2. Click on the “Accounts” tile.

3. Switch to the “Family & other users” tab using the panel navigation on the left side.

4. Scroll down and click on the “Add someone else to this PC” button. The fastest way to create a new user for yourself is offline — we’ll be using this method to create the account.

5. Instead of signing in to a Microsoft account, click on the “I don't have this person's sign-in information” link.

6. Next, click on the “Add a user without a Microsoft account” link.

7. Type in a username and optionally add a password, then click Next. You should immediately see the new user created which you can use now.