How to disable your keyboard Windows key

The Windows key is an extremely useful keyboard shortcut tool, unless you're a gamer. If you've ever played an FPS game in full screen and hit the Windows key by accident, you likely ended up a casualty in those few jarring seconds of window switching.

Some gaming keyboards now support disabling the Windows key, but not everyone uses a gaming keyboard with that feature. We'll show you the manual and automated methods for disabling (and re-enabling) the Windows key on any keyboard.

Automated method

Disable the Windows key

Step 1: Download the Microsoft Fix it program 50465 from Microsoft athttp://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9738719.

Step 2: Double-click on the file you just downloaded, MicrosoftFixit50465.msi, and click Runto install the fix.

Step 3: Follow the short installation prompts and restart your computer.

(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)

Enable the Windows key

Step 1: Download the Microsoft Fix it program 50464 from Microsoft athttp://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9738718.

Step 2: Double-click on the file you just downloaded, MicrosoftFixit50464.msi, and click Runto install the fix.

Step 3: Follow the short installation prompts and restart your computer.

Manual method

Caution: Please take care when working in the registry. Mistakes made in the registry can cause serious problems. If you are not comfortable working in the registry, consider using the automated method.

Disable the Windows key

Step 1: Click Start, then type regedt32 in the search box.

Click image to enlarge

(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)

Step 2: Double-click on HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE, then SYSTEM, CurrentControlSet,Control.

Click image to enlarge

(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)

Step 3: Click on Keyboard Layout, then in the Registry Editor menu, click on Edit, New,Binary Value.

Click image to enlarge

(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)

Step 4: Name the new entry as Scancode Map.

Step 5: Double-click on the new entry and type in00000000000000000300000000005BE000005CE000000000 as the value data, then click OK. You must type it in manually; copying and pasting will not work. It might be easier to look at it in pairs, as three rows of 16 digits:
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
03 00 00 00 00 00 5B E0
00 00 5C E0 00 00 00 00

Click image to enlarge

(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)

Step 6: Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Enable the Windows key

Step 1: Click Start, then type regedt32 in the search box.

Step 2: Double-click on HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE, then SYSTEM, CurrentControlSet,Control.

Step 3: Click on Keyboard Layout and right-click on Scancode Map. Click Delete then clickYes.

Click image to enlarge

(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)

Step 4: Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

There you go, gamers. Now you can frag away without having to worry about that pesky Windows key. Good luck!