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microsoft
Keyboard shortcut causes Ctrl key to act stuck
Microsoft PowerToys version
0.56.2
Running as admin
- [ ] Yes
Area(s) with issue?
Keyboard Manager
Steps to reproduce
Create a keyboard manager shortcut "Ctrl + any key" (specifically "Ctrl", not "Ctrl (Right)" or "Ctrl (Left)"), then trigger this shortcut using right ctrl.
✔️ Expected Behavior
The trigger to work with either left ctrl or right ctrl
❌ Actual Behavior
The shortcut worked as expected, but afterward the computer behaved as if the ctrl key was still being held. This behavior continued until left ctrl was pressed and released. The issue only occurred when the shortcut was triggered using right ctrl.
I was able to reproduce this on another computer, the only difference being that right ctrl had to be pressed to correct the issue instead of left ctrl.
Other Software
No response
Hi, We'd like to try to replicate this. Does it happen everytime? What specific mapping is being used to cause this? /needinfo
Yes, it happens every time. I first noticed the issue using “Ctrl+PgUp” and “Ctrl+PgDn” as shortcuts to adjust the volume. After I would trigger the shortcut with right ctrl, links would open in new tabs and keys like S and P would activate the save and print shortcuts, as if ctrl was still being held down. I tested it with Ctrl + various other keys, and it seems to happen no matter what the shortcut is and what action it triggers, even if I set it to “Undefined”.
Out of curiosity, I just tried it with shift and had the same problem. After creating a “Shift+some key” shortcut and triggering it using right shift, everything was typing in all caps as if shift was still being held, until I pressed left shift to “fix” it. So it appears the issue isn’t specifically related to the control key. Once again, it didn’t happen when the shortcut was defined with “Shift (Right)” or “Shift (Left)”, only with “Shift”. In the meantime, to get around the bug, I have defined redundant “Ctrl (Left)+key” and “Ctrl (Right)+key” shortcuts in place of "Ctrl+key" and have had no problems.
Lastly, if it helps, I have been able to reproduce this on both Windows 10 and 11.
That's very helpful! I'm able to replicate this. So this happens when you use Ctrl+another key, in the mapping, instead of Ctrl(Left) or Ctrl(Right).
Then if you use Ctrl(Right) as the actual shortcut, it won't register you've actually released the key. This is likely what's happening. Thanks a lot for the workaround as well.
Wow, until reading this issue I changed 5 of my keyboards and literally migrated to different OSs to avoid this issue. I started to notice that the issue isn't happening after re-installing Windows for the 3rd time (in 1 a year) and accidentally forgetting to install PowerToys.
I love PowerToys and I hate to see this horrible issue happening and there's very less info available about it. This issue shouldn't be kept in the backlog for over a year and must be looked into.
Came here to report the same, but I'm glad there are already a few issues raised.
I've experienced this in the past weeks, on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 with PowerToys installed, so I assumed this wouldn't be due to Windows updates, but instead due to PowerToys, since there are some functions there that handle keyboard shortcuts.
This seems to be happening with both Shift (#16487) and Ctrl (#17035), sometimes getting stuck, so I have to press them again to "resolve" this issue when that happens.
Wow, until reading this issue I changed 5 of my keyboards and literally migrated to different OSs to avoid this issue. I started to notice that the issue isn't happening after re-installing Windows for the 3rd time (in 1 a year) and accidentally forgetting to install PowerToys.
I love PowerToys and I hate to see this horrible issue happening and there's very less info available about it. This issue shouldn't be kept in the backlog for over a year and must be looked into.
I feel your pain, i have done the same with other un related issues that turn out to be simple fixes. we are martyrs to our cause
still happening September 2024. my ctrl sticks, but at least i now know why. thanks for power toys. they really improve Window quality of life
I've also got this, just rebooted my machine and it's happening instantly.
Interestingly, tapping CTRL shows the "here's where the cursor is" circle animation, but a keyboard shortcut using CTRL doesn't work, and acts as though the CTRL key isn't held at all.
As for may 2025 bug still exists. I'm really tired about it :( Seems it's not a PowerToys problem but Windows.
I don't understand - similar topic are connected but in no one there's solution to fix this bug, and each one is gated that they are duplicated. Maybe connect at least one with a solution to the problem and marked as solved, and the rest as locked without a solution because so it is a person circling the threads and nowhere is there a solution. Loop chases loop
@acuna-public, when you close PowerToys, CTRL magicly starts working, so it's a PT bug.
turgro ah no, I mean that PT creates the virtual key trigger so THEORETICALLY it can be a Windows bug that it can't release it after it was used. Btw it's hard to believe but seems I've found the solution, it's so strange so I need some tests, please wait some days because it's very marvelous for me so it needs more tests.
@turgro So! I'm ready to share my solution which is suprised even for me. You need to know that MY problem is that Ctrl don't releaed after using in keys combination, there's several problems with it, another one is that Ctrl even not working with PT, but may be it can help with it too. So it hard to believe, but MY problem was in my expensive $60 gaiming mouse, it's not a error, not keyboard but mouse, I've changed it to my old one and problem is gone more than four days ago. You can try it too, it's good to have a cheap mouse in the closet for tests. I've read it on some forums but don't believe that it's possible but was so tired about it and decided to try. Good luck.
My solution helped for a week and stuck started again a few time ago so I've simply reinstalled OS and problem is gone, there are no any stucks for more than a month, so I can recommend it to you and can guaranteed that it can help, seems it's kind of OS pollution (or regedit experiments maybe) with which OS reinstalling can help. I'm so glad and feels clean bacause was so tired about it.