The post below will guide you what you need to do if the Windows key or button stops responding.
The Windows key (also known as the Winkey) has multiple functionalities. When you tap this key Start menu pops up; This saves time on dragging and the cursor to the Start menu button on your screen. However, some Windows 10 users reported that Windows key or button isn’t working on Windows 10, and this article will show you how to fix this problem.
How to fix Windows key or WinKey not working on Windows 10?
- Check for Win Lock button on your keyboard
- Disable Gaming Mode on your Keyboard
- Enable Windows Key using Registry Edit
- Re-Register all Apps using PowerShell
- Enable the Start Menu
- Turn off Filter Keys
- Uninstall and reinstall your keyboard drivers
Method 1. Check for Win Lock button on your keyboard
Some keyboards have Win Lock button. It is a specific key that allow you to disable the Windows key in Windows 10 devices, so be sure to check if your keyboard has this key available.
According to users, According to users, this key should be located next to the dimmer button and next to the ALT buttons on your keyboard, so be sure to look for it. After you find Win Lock button, tap it and your Windows key should start working again.
Method 2. Disable Gaming Mode on your Keyboard
If you have a gaming keyboard (like the Logitech ones), your keyboard supports Gaming mode. Gaming mode was created to disable certain keys during gameplay sessions that can interfere with your game.
For example, it can happen that you accidentally tap the Windows button during a game, and in almost situtations that will open the Start Menu and minimize your game.
This can be an anoying problem if you’re playing an online game with your friends, and this is why gaming keyboards have support for Gaming mode.
If Windows button isn’t working on your keyboard, first be sure to check if Gaming mode is enabled.
Many keyboards have Gaming mode switch on them, so be sure that the switch isn’t set to Gaming mode.
This switch has a joystick image next to it, and it is usually located above F2 and F3 buttons, hence make sure that you have checked your keyboard for this switch and use it to disable Gaming mode.
Some keyboards, like Apex M800, have a hidden Gaming mode and in order to turn it off completely, you need to press SteelSeries button and tap the Windows button to disable Gaming mode.
As you can see, different keyboards use different ways to turn off Gaming mode, so be sure to check your keyboard’s instruction manual to check how to properly disable Gaming mode.
Read more: How to turn on or off Game Mode on Windows 10
Method 3. Enable Windows Key using Registry Edit
We would recommend you to create System Restore point before editing registry.
The registry can enable or restrict a lot including menu items and keyboard keys. To turn on the Windows key, do the following:
1. Click Start, type “Run” and select Run. In the Run box, type “regedit” and click OK.
2. Go to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout
3. Expand the Keyboard Layout key, find Scancode Map registry entry and delete it.
4. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC.
If you can’t locate Scancode Map entry, it might not be available on your computer, hence you should skip this method and try something else.
Method 4. Re-Register all Apps using PowerShell
According to users, Windows key might stop working if there’s any software conflict with your keyboard. But you should be able to fix this problem with Windows key simply by using one PowerShell command.
1. First, open an elevated PowerShell prompt in Windows 10
2. When PowerShell opens, copy and paste the script below into the PowerShell window and tap Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
3. After the command is executed, your Windows key should start working again.
Method 5. Enable the Start Menu
In cases where your start key does not pop up the start menu, there is a possibility the start menu was turned off. Here are the steps to enable the Start Menu:
1. Click Start, type “Run” and select Run. In the Run box, type “regedit“. Click OK to open the Registry Editor.
2. Go to this key:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3. Now, right click on the right hand side panel and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Now type “EnableXamlStartMenu” as the name of the new DWORD and and set its Value Data to 0.
4. Restart your computer and check if the problem is resolved.
See more: How to Enable or Disable Resizable Start Menu in Windows 10
Method 6. Turn off Filter Keys
This has been seen as one of the main culprits in Windows 10 and Windows 8 problems. Enabling filterkeys slows down or ignores repeated key strokes and adjusts repeat rates. Hence the windows button is also affected on some keyboards. Here are the steps to disable filter keys:
1. Click on Start menu and select Settings.
2. Select the Ease of Access.
3. In the left side, click on Keyboard, disable Ignore brief or repeated keystrokes and change keyboard repeat rates under Use Filter Keys on the right side. You can also untick (off) Allow the shortcut key to start Filter Keys for what you want.
4. When finished, you can close Settings.
Method 7. Reinstall your keyboard drivers
If you are looking for a method how to fix the Windows key is not working on Windows 10 problem, reinstalling your keyboard driver is an essential step in your troubleshooting plan. Here are the steps:
1. Press the Windows logo key + R at the same time, type devmgmt.msc in the run box. Click OK to open Device Manager.
2. Find the Keyboards, right click on your keyboard drivers and select Uninstall device.
3. On the warning message that pops up, select on “Uninstall” or “Yes” to remove these drivers
4. Restart your computer. or If you have a USB keyboard, unplug it then plug it back in. Windows will reinstall the drivers automatically. Now see if Windows button functions.
Also, you can go to the webpage of your keyboard/laptop manufacturer and download the necessary driver from there.
Hope something helps you.
