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I've tried setting HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\DisabledHotkeys = "W,C". I've also tried enabling Local Computer Policy\User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\File Explorter\Turn off Windows Key hot keys

Neither of them are preventing Win+C from opening the "try teams" ad

enter image description here

nor the Win+W from opening the Weather app full of ads

enter image description here

This answer may disable other keys (no idea) but it does not disable these keys.

How can I disable these hot keys? (without 3rd party software)

7 Answers7

11

The answer found on answers.microsoft.com says:

You can use Microsoft's own tool called Power Toys. Power Toys for Windows 11 is available from the Microsoft Store. After installing the tool you will find in it the "Keyboard Manager" there you will be able to set the shortcut Win + c as disabled.

Showing Power Toys user interface for remapping shortcuts of Win+C and Win+W to be Disabled

St33lD13hl
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harrymc
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8

The answer from @harrymc is in the right direction, but I had to find additional information.

  1. First, install PowerToys from the App Store
  2. Start PowerToys, and navigate to “Keyboard Manager”
  3. Remap a shortcut
  4. Set the “Physical shortcut” to Win+W or Win+C
  5. In “Mapped to”, under the “Type” button, scroll all the way up in the scrolldown, and select “Disabled”

The details to do so for the Alt+Tab shortcut, with screenshots, can be found at https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftedge/forum/all/disable-alttab-shortcut-key/b70dbd0a-201d-415b-9ed7-ca07d055959e.

Note: to fully disable Widget, look at this answer: https://superuser.com/a/1684511/1728760

qsantos
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1

Widgets can be disabled entirely through Group Policies:

Open the Local Group Policy Editor and go to Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Widgets/Allow widgets and set it to Disabled

To disable the the chat:

Open the Local Group Policy Editor and go to Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Chat/Configures the chat icon on the taskbar and set it to Enabled, but set the state to Disabled enter image description here

Ares9323
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1

Use Autohotkey (AHK) for this, a simple tiny software for Windows.

  1. Install Autohotkey
  2. Create a text file, rename it to myscript.ahk
  3. Add the following into this file:
; DISABLE WINDOWS Hotkeys
#i::return ; system settings
#w::return ; pen settings
#c::return ; cortana/copilot
#p::return ; monitor settings
#+::return ; zoom
#a::return ; notification sidebar
#f::return ; feedback hub
#r::return ; run dialog
#g::return ; Game Bar Xbox
#l::return ; sign out
#k::return ; Connect
#v::return ; Clipboard history
#.::return ; Emojis
#,::return ; show open windows transparent
  1. Save the file in an appropriate location.
  2. Run the file. Done. All Windows hotkeys disabled.

Add file to Windows startup:

  1. Open Windows bar, type "run" and hit Enter.
  2. Then enter shell:startup.
  3. A folder opens (it should be something like C:\Users\MYNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup). Drag a shortcut of your myscript.ahk into this folder.
Marco Lackovic
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Avatar
  • 2,844
1

I tried the above answers, but The PowerToys KeyboardManager has been changed and it seems setting it to Disable no longer works consistently.
What for me worked is instead of using Disable was using the VK Codes.

enter image description here

Kerwin Sneijders
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0

  1. Open Registry Editor (regedit).

  2. Navigate to the following key (create one if not present): [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh]

  3. Create the following Dword entry and give it a value of 0: "AllowNewsAndInterests"

  4. Now navigate to the following key (create one if not present): [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Chat]

  5. Create the following Dword entry and give it a value of 3: "ChatIcon"

Alternatively, you can go to "Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)" and change the values of "Chat" and "Widgets" from "Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components"

George
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0

here is %100 working method without any 3th party program:

forget about all methods in internet; they are not working.

  1. we are gonna use "keyboard filter" which is original windows service
  2. but we have to change our windows 10/11 home/pro version to windows 10/11 "Enterprice" version cuz "keyboard filter" only works with "Enterprice" version. you can change windows version by "github massgravel script"
  3. then type in windows search bar: "turn windows features on or off" and under "Device Lockdown" directory check "keyboard filter"
  4. then from regedit: go to "Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Embedded\KeyboardFilter" and change any hotkey combo value to "Blocked" for disable and if your hotkey combo is not there you can create it by your own for example: Alt+Esc --> "Blocked" as if in the examples you see in the directory.

here is an image how to do it: image

Toto
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