microsoft / microsoft/PowerToys
Keyboard Manager: Remapping Left Alt and Left Ctrl triggers both keys simultaneously
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- Dominant language
- C
- Stars
- 139k
- Forks
- 8.6k
- PR merge metrics
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Description
### Microsoft PowerToys version
0.97.0
### Installation method
PowerToys auto-update
### Area(s) with issue?
Keyboard Manager
### Steps to reproduce
Open PowerToys Settings and go to Keyboard Manager.
Click on Remap a key.
Add a mapping: Alt (Left) -> Ctrl (Left).
(Optional) Add a second mapping: Ctrl (Left) -> Alt (Left).
Open the Windows On-Screen Keyboard.
Press the physical Alt (Left) key.
Observe that both Ctrl and Alt are highlighted/activated in the On-Screen Keyboard.
### ✔️ Expected Behavior
Only the target mapped key should be registered. If Alt (Left) is mapped to Ctrl (Left), the system should only see a Ctrl input.
### ❌ Actual Behavior
Both keys are triggered simultaneously, causing unintended shortcuts to fire.
### Additional Information
Windows 11 Enterprise 24H2
PowerToys 0.97.0
### Other Software
_No response_
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Reproduce the remapping in PowerToys Keyboard Manager on Windows 11 with the On-Screen Keyboard, then trace the Keyboard Manager key-remapping entry point and its handling of Left Alt and Left Ctrl. Done means a mapped key produces only its target input, without the source key also being reported or triggering shortcuts.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- c
- Domain
- desktop
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100