[KBM] Swapping Win and Alt does not work for shortcuts like Win-R (Run)

[atsaloli]

ℹ Computer information

• PowerToys version: v0.20.1
• PowerToy Utility: what's this?
• Running PowerToys as Admin: No
• Windows build number: Version 1909 (OS build18363.1016)

📝 Provide detailed reproduction steps (if any)

I wanted to swap my Windows and Alt keys, so my keyboard shortcuts are more like macOS, since I have to work on both systems now.

I went into Keyboard Manager and mapped left Alt key to left Windows key, and left Windows key to left Alt key. Now pressing my (physical) Alt + R does NOT bring up the Run dialog. Neither does pressing my (physical) Win +r.

✔️ Expected result

Pressing Alt (remapped to Win) + R brings up the Run dialog.

❌ Actual result

The screen just sort of blinks.

But nothing happens.

📷 Screenshots

Are there any useful screenshots? WinKey+Shift+S and then just paste them directly into the form

[atsaloli]

I tried re-launching Power Toys as administrator. I noticed that with Keyboard Manager enabled, and my mapping in place, when I press (physical) left Alt + R, it pops up an error message.

[atsaloli]

Actually, it pops up the above error message when I press (physical) Win + R, too! Same error message pops up with both Alt + R and Win + R.

[crutkas]

@arjunbalgovind this is weird, about half the keys seem to work. Win+E, Win+D does but Win+L does not nor does Win+R

[arjunbalgovind]

This is related to #3188 and #2313. The Xbox Game Bar app detects shortcuts at a lower level than keyboard hooks. So if a user hits Alt+R or Win+R, since Game bar is at a lower level at some point it sees Win+Alt+R (the shortcut for recording). And Alt+L would not result in Windows locking since Win+L can't be overridden for locking the system.

To workaround this we will have try a similar work around to the Caps Lock IME issue (#4123), but I'm not certain it will work unless we test it with enough cases.

[Ouch-My-Head]

It worked! Maybe it just needed a restart, thanks!

[atsaloli]

Win+R still doesn't work on 0.43.0 -- details in #12941

@Jay-o-Way was able to duplicate the issue.

I tried removing XBox Game Bar to no avail.

I don't play games and I don't need or want XBox Game Bar.

I want Win+R to open the Start menu.

[Jay-o-Way]

I tried removing XBox Game Bar to no avail. I don't play games and I don't need or want XBox Game Bar.

Same here, very likely for most people. But hey, we all know Microsoft is a 🤬

[atsaloli]

#2313 is closed as WONTFIX

That doesn't bode well for this issue.

Isn't PowerToys from Microsoft? Couldn't the Microsoft people please talk to each other about this issue? I mean, could anyone from the PowerToys project talk to the XBox Game Bar people, please?

[Jay-o-Way]

You can't delete the app, but you can disable it in Windows Settings > Gaming. It will prevent the Game bar, but will not bring up the Run app :(

[atsaloli]

Yep, I've disabled it.

Win+R still doesn't work.

[atsaloli]

I just tried following the directions from PaulHeber in

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-can-i-uninstall-the-xbox-game-bar-app-i-never/2581abeb-522b-4990-9349-2225f99ce594?page=2

and XBox Game Bar is no longer in my Start menu.

PaulHeber wrote:

I just got this from Microsoft

In Powersehell Admin. Right Click Start and select powershell (admin)

Enter following commands and wait for each to complete before next one

Get-AppxPackage -allusers XboxApp | Remove-AppxPackage
Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay | Remove-AppxPackage
Get-AppxPackage -allusers XboxApp | Remove-AppxPackage

[atsaloli]

After a reboot, Win+R still doesn't work. :(

[Jay-o-Way]

Here's another tip: Use CCleaner to remove the Xbox apps.

[atsaloli]

@Jay-o-Way thanks, but I'm hesitant to install a third-party binary due to security concerns.

I checked the Xbox package names and found them different from PaulHeber's post:

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Get-AppxPackage -allusers  | grep ^Name|grep Xbox
Name                   : Microsoft.XboxSpeechToTextOverlay
Name                   : Microsoft.Xbox.TCUI
Name                   : Microsoft.XboxGameOverlay
Name                   : Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider
Name                   : Microsoft.XboxApp
Name                   : Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>

I was able to remove all of them except one:

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Get-AppxPackage -allusers  Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI | Remove-AppxPackage
Remove-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073CFA, Removal failed. Please contact your software vendor.
(Exception from HRESULT: 0x80073CFA)
error 0x80070032: AppX Deployment Remove operation on package
Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI_1000.19041.1023.0_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy from:
C:\WINDOWS\SystemApps\Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI_cw5n1h2txyewy failed. This app is part of Windows and cannot be
uninstalled on a per-user basis. An administrator can attempt to remove the app from the computer using Turn Windows
Features on or off. However, it may not be possible to uninstall the app.
NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] 5fc34dd4-9ccb-0001-296a-c35fcb9cd701 in the Event Log or use
the command line Get-AppPackageLog -ActivityID 5fc34dd4-9ccb-0001-296a-c35fcb9cd701
At line:1 char:59
+ ... xPackage -allusers  Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI | Remove-AppxPackage
+                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : WriteError: (Microsoft.XboxG...l_cw5n1h2txyewy:String) [Remove-AppxPackage], IOException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.RemoveAppxPackageCommand

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>

Win+R still doesn't work.

[Jay-o-Way]

I guess Windows itself deals with the hotkey, then 😣

[feinberj-github]

I'm seeing the same thing - I swapped alt & windows so I could use my Mac keyboard with my windows laptop. Now windows-R no longer works, although windows-E does work. I also created a Shortcut in keyboard manager, mapping Alt (Left) R to Win (Left) R. When I do that, I can get the run dialog by pressing alt-R (i.e. my original windows key, not my remapped windows key). I suppose it's better than nothing.