Re-enable the Windows key on the keyboard

Dear Steve,

Thank you for posting your question on our forum.

BoostSpeed changes, cleanups, or tweaks should not disable the Windows key. Could you please send us a report of the applied changes that led to the problem (see the screenshot below)?

Please use the Rescue Center to undo the changes.

Perhaps this will help solve your problem. There are also several ways that can help with solving the issue.

Method 1: Turn off your keyboard’s game mode.

1. Select Start, enter game mode settings, and press Enter.

2. Deactivate the Game Mode toggle.

Method 2: Change the registry to enable Windows Key.

Keyboard shortcuts and menu items are just a few of the things the registry might permit or disallow. To activate the Windows key:

• type Run into the Start box, then click Run.

• after entering regedit32 click OK. If you get a notice from the EULA asking for confirmation, click Yes.

• select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE from the Local Machine selection on the Windows menu.

• click the Keyboard Layout folder once you have double-clicked the System\CurrentControlSet\Control folder.

• select “Delete from the context menu” when you right-click the Scancode Map registry item.

• on the warning/confirmation screen, select Yes.

• restart your computer after shutting off Registry Editor.

Method 3: Reenable each app.

By doing this, you can resolve any software conflicts with your keyboard.

• select Windows by clicking it

• after you type PowerShell, right-click “Windows PowerShell” and choose “Run as administrator.”

• if clicking on your start button doesn’t work, go to this page: C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows PowerShell\

• then select “Run as Administrator” from the context menu

• enter the script below into the PowerShell window by typing it in or copying and pasting it there:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register ‘$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml’}

• restart your computer.

Method 4: Make the start menu accessible.

If the start menu does not appear when you press the start button, it could have been deactivated. Follow the instructions below to enable it:

• press Ctrl + Shift + Esc and go to File > click run a new task from task management, or right-click the Start Button and choose “Run.”

• input “regedit” (without quotes)

• go here to find the key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer > Advance

• create a new DWORD (32-bit) value by right-clicking the panel on the right and selecting “New”

• the new key is called “EnableXamlStartMenu”

• restart your computer or restart File Explorer by using the task manager as described in procedure 5 below.

Method 5: Restart File Explorer on Windows.

Your Windows user interface is controlled by Explorer. By using this technique, Windows/File Explorer will restart and any issues that prevented it from launching properly will be fixed.

• Click task manager after pressing the keyboard keys Ctrl, Alt, and Del at once.

• Locate Explorer in the window by selecting the Process tab, then right-click on it and choose “End Task”.

• Click “File”, followed by “Run New Task”.

• Press Enter after typing explorer.exe in.

Method 6: Deactivate the filter keys.

This has been identified as one of the causes of problems with Windows 8 and Windows 10. By activating filter keys, repetitive key presses are ignored or slowed down, and repetition rates are modified. On certain keyboards, the windows key is also impacted in some way. Keys for disabling filters:

• Click settings by dragging the mouse to the right side of your Windows 8 computer. In Windows 10, choose settings by right-clicking the start menu.

• Scroll down and select “Ease of Access” on the Windows settings screen.

• On the left-hand pane, select the keyboard tab.

• Find “filter keys” by scrolling down, and disable it.

Method 7: Reinstall your keyboard drivers after removing them.

The proper drivers for your keyboard will be reinstalled when the faulty keyboard drivers have been removed.

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch the task manager and go to File > run a new task, or right-click the Start Button and type in Run.

• Open the device manager by entering devmgmt.msc

• Expand the Keyboards subsection

• Choose “Uninstall device” from the context menu when you right-click on your keyboard drivers

• To get rid of these drivers, select “Yes” or “Uninstall” from the pop-up warning

• Unplug and then replug your USB keyboard if you have one. Alternatively, restart your computer. Windows will reload the drivers on its own

• Verify whether the Windows key is now functional.

Step 8: Disconnect your gaming controller.

Sometimes when your gamepad is plugged in and a button is pressed on the gamepad, your Windows key might not work. Driver conflicts may be to blame for this. However, all you have to do to fix it is unplug your gamepad or make sure no buttons on your keyboard or gaming pad are pressed. Your gamepad or keyboard drivers may need to be updated to permanently fix this issue.

Using this resource, you may evaluate any key’s performance:

https://keyboard-test.space

Should you have any other questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.