DisplayFusion RSS: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/RSS/?TopicID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1 DisplayFusion RSS: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] Mon, 25 May 2026 00:52:45 GMT en hourly 1 https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/RSS/?TopicID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1 RE: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#12 Thu, 10 Nov 2022 21:14:21 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#12 DisplayFusion
Quote:
The reason it works in AutoHotkey is because AHK uses keyboard hooks. We use Windows' global hotkeys to prevent conflicts.

If we're able to add an option to use keyboard hooks in the future, we'll be sure to let you know.

Thanks!


Thank you! :) I guess life is always a compromise: DisplayFusion is for sure better at setting windows positions, while AutoHotkey is better with hotkeys. I think I need an AutoHotkey script which triggers DispalyFusion script :laugh: ]]> RE: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#11 Thu, 10 Nov 2022 20:40:43 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#11 DisplayFusion The reason it works in AutoHotkey is because AHK uses keyboard hooks. We use Windows' global hotkeys to prevent conflicts.

If we're able to add an option to use keyboard hooks in the future, we'll be sure to let you know.

Thanks! ]]> RE: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#10 Thu, 10 Nov 2022 07:48:14 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#10 DisplayFusion Hey! Was wondering is here any progress? I'm now trying DisplayFusion trial, but I cannot set hot keys. For example Win + 0 ir Win + Shift + 0. This hot keys are used for applying window layouts in my AutoHotkey script.

AutoHotkey has not issue to set up these hotkeys, but DislayFusion struggles with the message: "The Key Combination you have specified is reserved by Windows and can't be used."

Thus, it's obviuosly possible to set up these keys, it's just DisplayFussion seems to not try :(

P.S. I obviuosly exist AutoHotkey script, before trying to setup these hot keys. And windows indeed take over, and win + 0 for whatever reason displays me spotify window (because it's number 10 in taskbar) ]]> RE: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#9 Thu, 14 Apr 2022 19:32:08 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#9 DisplayFusion
Quote:
The DisplayFusion function doesn't have this side effect.


Good to know! ]]> RE: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#8 Thu, 14 Apr 2022 19:22:14 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#8 DisplayFusion That's interesting and frustrating, because every new Windows release seems to usurp a Win key combination I'm using either here or with Autohotkey. The latest one was Win+Alt+B, which I map in AHK, and I uninstalled Game Bar to get it back. That was before I ran across this forum thread, which I came across when trying to use Win+B in DisplayFusion to map "Send to Back". I haven't tried the registry hack yet and may stick with Ctrl+Win+B, but I wonder if using the registry for "B" would have worked for Win+B and also made Windows surrender Win+Alt+B... lol

BTW, the inverse of "Send to Back" appears to be Alt+Tab. Some people say Alt+Esc works for "Send to Back", but when I use Alt+Esc, some apps brought to the front such as Outlook register Alt as being held down and show their Alt key shortcut tooltips. The DisplayFusion function doesn't have this side effect. ]]> RE: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#7 Thu, 14 Apr 2022 17:31:51 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#7 DisplayFusion Yes, but there's a bit of an asterisk on it. DisplayFusion used to not allow you to even attempt to set the key combinations that we knew were Windows key combinations. It now will allow you to attempt to, if it finds that registry value.

However, our key combinations still use Windows Global Hotkeys, so we say "please let us register this hotkey" and Windows either returns a success or a fail.

For some of the Windows key combinations, even if they're "disabled" with the registry value, Windows is still holding on to them and not allowing other apps to register them, it's just not doing anything when they're pressed. ]]> RE: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#6 Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:04:52 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#6 DisplayFusion Was this implemented? ]]> RE: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#5 Mon, 10 Dec 2018 01:25:38 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#5 DisplayFusion This issue should be fixed up in the latest beta, available here: https://www.displayfusion.com/Download/Beta. Please let me know if you still run into any trouble after updating.

Thanks! ]]> RE: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#4 Mon, 26 Nov 2018 19:51:46 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#4 DisplayFusion We're looking at it for the next beta. I'll be sure to post an update if we're able to get it working.

Thanks! ]]> RE: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#3 Mon, 26 Nov 2018 00:20:44 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#3 DisplayFusion Hi Keith,

I wanted to see if there was a chance to permit this workaround, perhaps by changing the hard code ignore for Win+E shortcuts into a warning so that we could use the registry edit.

Thanks! ]]> RE: Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#2 Thu, 22 Jun 2017 18:33:12 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1#2 DisplayFusion Interesting! I wasn't aware that you could do that. At the moment those hotkeys are hard coded to be ignored in DisplayFusion, but I will put this on our list and see what we can do.

Thanks! ]]> Potential Workaround for Binding Reserved Windows Keys (Win + E, etc.) [Win10] https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1 Thu, 22 Jun 2017 07:02:43 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/potential-workaround-for-binding-reserved-windows-keys-win-e-etc-win10/?ID=8b33c161-4cad-4b3e-9b72-40bb9cd2b5b1 DisplayFusion I understand that DisplayFusion on Windows 10, from version 7.3.2 onward, disables any keybind combinations that incorporated Windows + E (Open Windows Explorer), and other Windows system reserved key combinations introduced in the November 2015 Windows update.

There is a registry edit for Windows 10 that will disable specific hotkeys. Under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced, create an Expandable String Value called DisabledHotkeys and enter as values the hotkeys to be disabled. E.g.,

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DisabledHotkeys = E

See https://www.ghacks.net/2015/03/22/how-to-disable-specific-global-hotkeys-in-windows/

Is there a way to take advantage of this registry workaround in order to use system reserved keybinds in DisplayFusion, either natively or through another workaround? ]]>