'Run' does not work with win+space combo

[kalokng]

Microsoft PowerToys version

0.47.0

Running as admin

• Yes

Area(s) with issue?

PowerToys Run

Steps to reproduce

1. Set the activation shortcut to Win+Space
2. Try with win+space but not works, instead the input language is changed (the win10 default behavior)
3. Set the activation shortcut to Alt+Space
4. Try with Alt+space and the run dialog shows.
5. Restarted both PowerToys and Windows, but Win+Space still not works.

✔️ Expected Behavior

Both shortcut should works, as they did in 0.45.0

❌ Actual Behavior

Win+Space does not work, only Alt+Space works.

Other Software

No response

[franky920920]

I think Windows itself takeover the Win + space as shortcut key to change IME's input method.
This=>

I am not sure if we can take over this.

[jaimecbernardo]

We did make some changes in 0.47 for PowerToys Run to use a keyboard shortcut, in order to fix some focus issues. When registering the shortcut fails, PowerToys Run still falls back to using the low level keyboard hook as before.
In my Windows 10, I've been able to use "Win+Space" successfully. Might this be a Windows 11 specific issue?

@kalokng ,
Could you please send a bug report?

Right-click on the PowerToys icon in the tray menu and select Report Bug

Drag and drop report into a GitHub comment.

[kalokng]

I am using Windows 10, 20H2, build 19042.1237
I was able to override the Win+Space shortcut in 0.45.0, and aware that was the IME related hotkey.
In the configuration window, it is able to capture the win+space hotkey, not sure why.

Here is the bug report:
PowerToysReport_2021-09-30-20-16-47.zip

[jaimecbernardo]

From the logs, it seems that PowerToys Run did try to set the low-level keyboard hook:

Registering global shortcut failed. Will use low-level keyboard hook instead.

I think I know what might be happening. The low-level keyboard hook is now registered by PowerToys Run itself, which doesn't run elevated. Can you confirm that Win+Space works on non-elevated windows?

[kalokng]

Yes you are right, after running PowerToys in non-elevated mode, i can use Win+Space as shortcut key

[jaimecbernardo]

Still, it'd be good to have it work on elevated windows when PowerToys runs elevated as well, like before.
We need to come up some logic to have the register shortcut in the PowerToys Run process and the fallback low level keyboard hook in the PowerToys process as before.

[crutkas]

Shipped with 0.47.1

[daletman]

Issue kind of still exists for me. I'm on v0.47.1 and Win+Space combo does not work when Visual Studio is in focus. Any idea why?

[franky920920]

Issue kind of still exists for me. I'm on v0.47.1 and Win+Space combo does not work when Visual Studio is in focus. Any idea why?

cc: @crutkas

[jaimecbernardo]

@daletman , do you have the new setting to use the global keyboard hook turned on ?

[crutkas]

Is VS run under admin and PT is not?

[daletman]

@daletman , do you have the new setting to use the global keyboard hook turned on ?

This did the trick, thanks.

@crutkas They were both run under admin.

[franky920920]

Is VS run under admin and PT is not?

@kalokng