Windows Key on keyboard stopped working

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System: Windows 10 Home 22H2 (Build 19045.3208)
Seenda keyboard Model: IWG-DHXKB01

Since yesterday my Windows key on my keyboard does not work at all. Pressing the key gets no response and does not work for any of the Win key shortcuts. The Win key on the On Screen keyboard works perfectly.

What I noticed about this time was a notification about Xbox and Microsoft gaming. Not sure what it said as I quickly deleted thinking it was ads from microsoft. I do not have or use Xbox and do not have Xbox games installed, so I have no reason why that message is there. I did check and the Gaming mode and Xbox bar were set to On. I don’t know how these got turned on, but I turned them off. This did not cure the problem.

Also at this same time I upgrade the software (Logi Tech Set Point) for a recently installed new mouse (very plain and definitely not a gaming mouse. I uninstalled this app to see if that would restore the Win key, which it didn’t.

No Windows updates (Updates on Pause)

I ran SFC – first time it said it fixed some files, second run showed no corrupt files.

Ran DISM online for Check Health and Restore Health.

Checked the keyboard settings.

Turned off Keyboard Manager in Power toys.

None of the above has restored the Win Key function.

I suspect it has to do with the Xbox notification, and I did have to turn the Xbox Game bar and Game mode Off because they were on, but that did not restore the Win Key.

I hope someone knows what to do to get the Win key working again.

HTH, Dana:))

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Just another Forum Poster wrote:

Maybe your keyboard has such a feature and it’s now toggled into game mode.

On a lot of those keyboards FN + F12 is the combo used to toggle this feature on/off, maybe that’ll work on yours.

This keyboard doesn’t have a game mode and the Fn + F12 is for Favorites. I did work out a work around where I remapped the Win key to another key and even that did not see the Win Key on the keyboard but it worked and functioned like the Win Key, although it caused another problem with another key acting like it was pressed all the time. There is something in the software that is keeping the Win key on this keyboard on this PC deactivated. I swapped keyboards with one of my other desktops which is Windows 7 and the Win key of this keyboard works to bring up the Start Menu like it should on Windows 7, so the key functions correctly an a different PC. The Win key on the keyboard that was on the Windows 7 PC also works perfectly on the Windows 10 so any software deactivating the Win Key doesn’t affect this different keyboard. Whatever software that deactivates the Win key on that keyboard is specific to that keyboard on that Windows 10 PC.

Since that keyboard is starting to show its usage and age (the lettering of some keys is nearly gone), I bought a new one and its Win key is working just fine.

I’ve tried every “fix it” I found online, but I’m convinced that somehow some software setting has the Win key on that keyboard deactivated and the normal setting changes to deactivate it are not working. This is not resolved, but I’m happy with my new keyboard, all the bright letters on the keys, and Win key works.

HTH, Dana:))

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Just another Forum Poster wrote:

If it’s not programmable but has replaceable batteries, turn it off, remove the batteries, wait ~5 mins, put them back in and see it that resets it?

My keyboard is not programmable and is wired (no batteries to remove to reset).

I found the cause and have fixed it.

Still convince it was some sort of Xbox application that causing this, so I zeroed in on those apps. I uninstalled the Xbox Live app and immediately tested the keyboard. Win key worked and all shortcuts using the Win key worked fine. So something in the Xbox live app had deactivated the Win Key and didn’t let go until I uninstalled it. There must be a setting in Xbox Live, but I’ve never used Xbox (live or dead).
Anyway, I now have a spare keyboard (always can use one of those).

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions.

HTH, Dana:))

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A google search turns up lots of hits indicating Game mode disables the Windows key so it appears you are still stuck in game mode.

The procedures you followed are intended to turn off game mode in Windows but I discovered some keyboards also a “built-in” game mode that allows you to actually toggle the Win key on the keyboard on/off; regardless of whether Windows in in game mode or not. Maybe your keyboard has such a feature and it’s now toggled into game mode.

On a lot of those keyboards FN + F12 is the combo used to toggle this feature on/off, maybe that’ll work on yours.

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If your keyboard is programmable, Windows may have “reprogrammed” it for gaming mode and didn’t reset it back to normal mode so it’s now stuck that way.

If your particular keyboard supports reprogramming it “should” have some sort of reset function to clear all the programing back to default (most programmables do.) I.e. I can clear all the programming in my Corsair K63 as follows:

1- Turn it off (there’s an on/off switch in the middle of the top side next to the recharging port.)
2- Press & hold the Esc key.
3- Turn it back on, wait 2-5 secs, and then release the Esc key.

If the reset was successful, the keyboard lighting flashes.

If it’s not programmable but has replaceable batteries, turn it off, remove the batteries, wait ~5 mins, put them back in and see it that resets it?

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