Summary
Keyboard shortcuts are time savers.
That’s why your productivity can take a hit when the shortcuts stop working on Windows 11.
Try the things below and see if they work:
2.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
Once you load it, press the keys and see if they turn green on the on-screen keyboard.
This means they are working.
If they don’t turn green, it could mean the keys have a problem.
We recommend getting a replacement or contacting a computer hardware professional to repair your keyboard.
Resetting the keyboard layout back to its default setting can fix it.
tap the three-dot icon next to the language below your primary one and select “Move Up.”
This will make it the new primary language.
Then, return your preferred language to the top using the same process as above.
This will reset the keyboard to its default layout for your preferred language.
you’ve got the option to then test the shortcuts again to see if they work.
In the popup, select one of the languages on the list and click “Next.”
For our example, we chose “English (Canada).”
On the next screen, click “Install.”
After the new language is installed, it will appear below the default one.
Now do the steps to reset the keyboard layout and, hopefully, the shortcuts will start working again.
So,start Windows in Safe Modeand test the shortcuts in that environment.
If that doesn’t get the shortcuts working again, a clean boot can help.
In this state, Windows will function with only the necessary programs and services.
To do a clean boot, click “Search” in the Taskbar and typesystem configurationin the search box.
In the search results, click “System Configuration.”
Next, snag the “Services” tab and check the “Hide All Microsoft Services” checkbox.
Next, click “Disable All” to stop all non-Microsoft services from running.
Then, click “OK” to apply and save the changes.
With all the third-party apps and services disabled, power cycle your Windows computer.
Once it boots up again, see if the shortcuts are working.
Next, head to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.
Then, double-smack the “Turn Off Windows Key Hotkeys” policy to edit it.
Test the Windows key shortcuts to see if they’re now working.
If you have another profile on your rig, switch to that one and test the shortcuts there.
If you don’t have a spare user profile for testing, you cancreate a guest accountinstead.
If the shortcuts work in the other account, consider creating another account and transferring all your data there.
Then, it’s possible for you to delete the corrupted one from your rig.
To fix that, you cando an in-place upgrade.
If that doesn’t get the shortcuts working again, tryresetting Windows 11 to factory defaults.
Hopefully, you’re able to now use them again and become more productive.
There’s no need to click many things whenpressing a couple of buttons will do the trick.
