If typing on your keyboard activates shortcuts rather than typing letters, it can be because you have pressed the Win + Alt combo that activates shortcuts for supported apps in Windows. Other reasons for the issue include a faulty or stuck Win key, Stickey and Filter key issues, and a malfunctioning keyboard driver.
Fortunately, fixing this problem is easy. Here we show you what to do when your keyboard opens random applications and shortcuts when pressing any key.
1. Press Win + Alt to Deactivate the Shortcut Combo
An easy way to fix this issue is to use theWin + Altkey combo. This combo deactivates the shortcut function, and once pressed and you should be able to start typing again.
While we are unsure of what causes the issue, and there’s much less information on what theWin + Altkey combo does, it is an easy fix to resolve this problem.
2. Turn Off Sticky and Filter Keys
Sticky Keys and Filter Keys are Windows accessibility features that can be activated by pressingShiftrepeatedly or for a long period. If you haven’t activated any of these accessibility features intentionally, make sure it is turned off and see if that returns things back to normal.
To disable the Sticky and Filter Keys:
3. Run the Keyboard Troubleshooter (Windows 10 Only)
Windows 10 and older versions feature a built-in keyboard troubleshooter to fix commonly known problems with the keyboard. However, the newer iteration of Windows 11 has done away with the keyboard troubleshooter, so you are unlikely to benefit from these steps.
To run the Keyboard troubleshooter on Windows:
4. Reinstall the Keyboard Drivers
A corrupt driver may cause the keyboard to malfunction. To fix the issue, you’re able to uninstall the driver from Device Manager. Upon restart, Windows will automatically detect the connected keyboard and install the necessary drivers.
To reinstall the keyboard driver:
5. Reconfigure or Disable the Windows Ink Workspace Service
If you use a pen-based or touch device, check if Windows Ink Workspace is enabled. By default, the letter I is a shortcut assigned to open the Windows Ink Workspace app. If so, you may want to disable the app to prevent Windows from accidentally triggering and opening the app when you press the keyboard keys.
Windows 10 comes with the Windows Ink Workspace app built-in to it. Windows 11, by default, may enable the app on only touch-enabled devices. If you want to continue to use the app, you may disable the activation shortcut.
Disable Ink Workspace Activation Shortcut on Windows 11
To get rid of the shortcut:
Quit and Disable Auto Startup for Windows Ink Workspace
If you’d prefer that Windows Ink Workspace didn’t start up by itself:
Disable Windows Ink Workspace
If the issue persists, you can completely disable Windows Ink Workspace using the Registry Editor. This process involves making modifications to the Windows Registry. We recommend youcreate a restore pointandtake a registry backupbefore proceeding with the steps below.
To disable Windows Ink Workspace using Registry Editor:
6. Other Troubleshooting Steps You Can Try
If none of the above worked, here are a few quickfire solutions to try:
Get Your Keyboard to Type Again on Windows
It is easy to assume your keyboard to be malfunctioning when it starts acting up and activates shortcuts or open applications instead of typing letters. However, in most instances, it is due to accidentally activating the shortcut function or a hotkey software working in the background.
