It debuted on August 24, 1995, along with the operating system Windows 95, and since then it has never gone away from our keyboards: it is the so-called "Windows key", recognizable by the flag-shaped icon which at the time was also the Microsoft logo.
It is a very useful key, which has been enriched in functionality over the years and with the arrival of new versions of Microsoft's operating system, and is still present today on all newly produced keyboards. It is used to open the Start menu or, in combination with other keys, to launch numerous keyboard shortcuts. Yet, despite its versatility, few use it and many can't stand it. The reason is simple: if we accidentally press it, the Start menu opens. Here, then, how to disable the Windows key if we just can't stand it.
How to disable the Windows key from the registry
Unfortunately there is no specific setting in the control panel for disable the Windows key: we will have to act directly on the system registry. One thing that, we always repeat, is very dangerous: do not touch anything other than what we are about to describe to you. To open the registry just search in the search box "Regedit" and launch the suggested app. Once inside the registry we will have to position ourselves on the key HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer and right click in the right column of the registry editor window. Then we must add a new one DWORD key (32-bit) and call it "NoWinKeys". At this point we will have to open this new key with a double click and assign it a value of 1. That's all, now we can save the registry and restart the operating system: the Windows key will stop working.
How to disable the Windows key from the Group Policy Editor
If we have a Pro edition of Windows 10 we will have to act, instead of from the registry, from the Local Group Policy Editor (look for it in the Cortana search box, or type "gpedit", and choose the suggested app). Also for theLocal Group Policy Editor the same suggestion applies: do not touch anything except as suggested, or it will be trouble. With the editor open, go to User ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsFile Explorer and by clicking on "File Explorer" we will have to scroll through the list of items until we find "Turn off Windows Key hotkeys". Double click on it and then select the button to activate the voice. At this point we save everything and restart: the Windows key will stop working.
How to disable the Windows key on the keyboard
