The Windows key on keyboard simply launches Start Menu or Start Screen in different Windows editions. This key is pioneer while you’re using Windows. But at some day, you might discover that the key is no longer working. What to do now? Although, you can use the cursor to highlight Start Button and launch Start Menu/Screen. But you may still want to fix the non-working Windows key. This article is dedicated for this issue.

FIX Windows Key On Keyboard Not Working In Windows 10

Recently, while using Windows 10 Pro, we suddenly discovered that after doing some Windows Update, Windows key lost its functionality. Restarting the machine, and subsequently running the System File Checker scan didn’t helped in this case. So in case if you’re also facing this issue, here’s how to fix it.

FIX: Windows Key On Keyboard Not Working In Windows 10

Registry Disclaimer: The further steps will involve registry manipulation. Making mistakes while manipulating registry could affect your system adversely. So be careful while editing registry entries and create a System Restore point first.

1. Press W8K + R and put regedit in Run dialog box to open Registry Editor (if you’re not familiar with Registry Editor, then click here). Click OK.

Windows 10 Registry Editor

2. In left pane of Registry Editor window, navigate to following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout

FIX Windows Key On Keyboard Not Working In Windows 10

3. In the right pane of Keyboard Layout, look for the Scancode Map named binary registry DWORD (REG_DWORD) and right click on it, select Delete. Close the Registry Editor and reboot the machine.

After restarting your system, the Windows key should start functioning as expected.

FYI: In case if you’re a developer and you ever want to disable the Windows key, you can do it simply via Scancode Map registry DWORD. Set the registry DWORD Value data to 00000000000000000300000000005BE000005CE000000000 and this should disable the Windows key upon reboot. When you again want to enable the Windows key, simply delete Scancode Map registry DWORD.

Hope this helps!

5 Comments

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  • Martijn Bos

    Hi. Thank you for your help. In my folder, there is only the “default” file. Not the “Scancode Map”. Any idea?

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Ok then try reinstalling keyboard driver.

  • paul williams

    scancode map was not in that right pane??

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Restart your system and check.

  • dd

    >windows key not working
    >instructions say to hit windows key + r

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