How do you unbind specific windows explorer shortcuts

Question

Windows Vista (more specifically, explorer) binds win+1, win+2, win+3, etc for its quick-launch bar. I want to use those key combinations for a different program. There is a registry key(s) to prevent explorer from binding those shortcuts so that I can bind them myself, but I can not remember what it is.

Every search I've tried turns up saying set HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NoWinKeys to 1, but that disables all the shortcuts (win+r, etc) instead of just specific ones.

I did it before on my last computer but I can't remember the specific registry setting.

score 11 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 16 '10 at 00:09

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I finally found it by scouring the registry of one of my old computer.

The registry key I was looking for is HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\DisabledHotkeys

If it's not present, create a new Expandable String Value and add any characters you don't want windows explorer to bind.

For example, setting DisabledHotkeys to 12 will prevent explorer from binding windowskey+1 and windowskey+2

answered Sep 16 '10 at 00:09

Josh Sterling

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which character do you type in `DisabledHotkeys` to disable Win+Arrow (whatever arrow)? – pataluc May 21 '14 at 12:04
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@pataluc This answer is missing information about virtual keys and how to add those. I checked https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd375731%28v=vs.85%29.aspx and the arrows need 4 characters, all of them non-printable. You need to look up a single arrow (e.g. arrow left has code 25), then right-click the registry value, pick Modify binary data and enter "25 00 00 00" (ignore the four zeroes on the left). Repeat, and in the end you should have 16 pairs of characters. – JBert Apr 03 '15 at 08:38
@JBert It doesn’t seem possible to disable WinSpace that way (i.e. 20 instead of 25). – kleinfreund Feb 28 '18 at 17:42
Is a restart needed ? I asume it is required since windows needs a restart for almost everything. But if not, please specify so :) – aemonge May 07 '18 at 09:13
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@aemonge If something only affects the Explorer, it should be sufficient to log off and log on again. – Martin May 14 '18 at 12:52
This basically works, but some hotkeys cannot be disabled that way, like F (Feedback hub) or G (Xbox game bar), probably because they're not registered by Explorer but other processes. – ygoe Aug 13 '20 at 19:03
@pataluc that registry key has nothing to do with Win+Arrow which is the aero snap feature and has its own setting: [Disabling Winkey+Arrow on Windows 10](https://superuser.com/q/1719448/241386) – phuclv May 05 '22 at 03:24

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 01 '18 at 19:33

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I did this with Windows 10... created the DisabledHostkeys and added "S". However, that prevented the entire Search function and Search icon from working as well! Not recommended!

answered Jul 01 '18 at 19:33

Glen Little

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How do you unbind specific windows explorer shortcuts

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