You try to type some text on your keyboard, but instead, whenever you press a button, Windows starts to open and close windows or launch programs on its own.
The reason for this is that Windows has a lot of hotkeys that allow you to access certain features quickly without using the mouse, and most of them involve some kind of special key to activate—for example, the Windows key. The reason those shortcuts are activated even though you don’t press the Windows key is that the Windows button is stuck.
To find out which key is stuck, you may open the on-screen keyboard in Windows. This will show you which button is being registered as pressed, even though it is not physically pressed on the keyboard. In most cases, the culprit is the Windows key.
Common Reasons for a Stuck Windows Key
There are several reasons why this might happen:
Sticky Keys Feature – Windows has an accessibility feature called Sticky Keys, which can cause this behavior. If it is activated, disabling it might resolve the issue.
Virtual Machine Software – Some software, like VirtualBox, can lead to this situation if you press the key inside the virtual machine and then switch back to your host machine.
Gaming and ALT+Tab Usage – When playing games and frequently using ALT+Tab to switch between the game and the desktop, the Windows key may get stuck.
Windows Updates – Some Windows updates have introduced unexpected behaviors. For example, after a Windows 10 update, pressing ALT + WIN could make the Windows key permanently active.
Gaming Keyboards and Macros – Many gaming keyboards have options to disable or lock the Windows key in place. This could be an intentional setting that needs to be adjusted.
How to Fix a Stuck Windows Key
In most cases, simply pressing the Windows key again can unstick it. However, if that does not work, try the following solutions:
Reboot your PC – Restarting can reset stuck key states.
Unplug and Replug the Keyboard – Disconnect your keyboard from the USB port and plug it back in.
Disable Sticky Keys – Check your Windows accessibility settings and turn off Sticky Keys if enabled.
Check Gaming Keyboard Settings – Refer to your keyboard’s manual to find out if there’s a hotkey combination that locks/unlocks the Windows key.
Use ALT + WIN – If a Windows update caused the issue, pressing ALT + WIN together might disable the sticky Windows key.
Replace the Keyboard – If none of the above solutions work, the issue may be hardware-related, and you may need to repair or replace your keyboard.
By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue and regain full control over your keyboard.