microsoft / microsoft/PowerToys

CmdPal: if you assign a hotkey to a top-level command, then uninstall that extension, we still eat that hotkey

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#45,452 3 comments 0 reactions 1 assignee Claimed by @michaeljolley View on GitHub
Issue-Bug Product-Command Palette
Dominant language
C
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Description

### Microsoft PowerToys version

0.97.1

### Installation method

PowerToys auto-update

### Area(s) with issue?

Command Palette

### Steps to reproduce

It works fine until I start PowerToys. It also works fine until I enable the Command Palette.

So, as soon as I start PowerToys and turn on the Command Palette, CtrlW immediately stops working properly. If I disable the Command Palette, it immediately starts working again, without needing a restart.

### ✔️ Expected Behavior

> That is curious. Could you create an issue on the repo and upload your logs? We shouldn't be watching any keybind you didn't assign. [source](https://www.reddit.com/r/PowerToys/comments/1qwyxpw/comment/o3ucak6)

It only reserves the key combinations used in PowerToys when handling keystrokes. I set CtrlSpace for the Command Palette. I didn't assign CtrlW to anything else, but the screenshot below clearly shows that the Command Panel is swallowing the keystroke.

### ❌ Actual Behavior

I use the CtrlW keybind quite a lot in applications. However, if I enable the Command Palette, then CtrlW becomes invalid globally in every application and they are unable to capture the keystroke. If I disable the Command Palette, it works again.

For the Command Palette, I set the CtrlSpace keybind; I don't see any other keybinds configured for it.

The issue persists even if I disable all extensions in Command Palette.

* https://github.com/ITachiLab/hotkey-detective
Image

```none
c:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.CommandPalette_0.8.10263.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\Microsoft.CmdPal.UI.exe
```

I've only experienced an issue with the CtrlW keybinding. For example, I often use it in Total Commander to close tabs, and I'm already used to it, so I wouldn't like to change that key combination because of this.

I wrote latest as the version number, but the problem has existed for a long time already, ever since the Command Palette was introduced.

* [Shortcut conflicts not found](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/1d8d3583-b642-4afb-8148-fa8dcf432844)

I thought about uploading some kind of log file as well if necessary, but I’m not really familiar with how and where the Command Palette creates its logs.

### Additional Information

Windows 11 Pro
* CtrlW worked with PowerToys for a long time. Unfortunately, I didn't notice the issue immediately. After I adjusted my settings in PowerToys and introduced the Command Palette, I initially thought the problem was related to Windows.

```none
❯ dotnet --list-runtimes
Microsoft.NETCore.App 8.0.23 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 8.0.23 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App]
```

System language: HUN / ENG
- At first I thought the issue was related to the language, so I removed HUN and then ENG, but removing either of them did not result in any improvement.
- I always use HUN as the typing language; I'm already used to the keyboard layout. As for the display language, I believe it doesn't affect the program's behavior, does it?

### Other Software

Anything that uses CtrlW, for example closing a Notepad tab, a Total Commander panel, a file explorer tab, or a browser tab. This is a pretty global keybind, so I'm reluctant to change it. Opening the panel with CtrlT works perfectly.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Assessment

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