microsoft / microsoft/PowerToys

Remap text works, same keys will not launch program, inconsistent

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Issue-Bug Needs-Triage Product-Keyboard Shortcut Manager
Dominant language
C
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Description

### Microsoft PowerToys version

0.97.2

### Installation method

Microsoft Store

### Area(s) with issue?

Keyboard Manager

### Steps to reproduce

Remap shortcut -> Ctrl Shift P -> Text - "This is a test"

Image

Works:

Image

This does not work - notepad does not launch. Note that this is the same if I delete the "start in" folder. Also notepad.exe exists because the same exact path using the Windows Run command launches notepad.

Image

Behavior was previously inconsistent. I was trying to launch Obsidian. If it was open, it would switch to the screen. If it was closed, it most of the time would do nothing (I tried different hotkey combos and made sure they all would fire with "text" outputs) . One time when it was closed it gave this error.

`Application popup: obsidian: Windows - Application Error : The exception Breakpoint
A breakpoint has been reached.
(0x80000003) occurred in the application at location 0x00007FF6C7A6D48B.

Click on OK to terminate the program`

### ✔️ Expected Behavior

Put notepad.exe or explorer.exe or any program in the run program field and have it launch.

### ❌ Actual Behavior

It did not launch.

### Additional Information

Windows 11
.NET: 9.0.3
System Language: English
System Install
Tried to ruin Powertoys as normal user, and also re-launched Powertoys and tried as administrator; no luck.

### Other Software

_No response_

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by reproducing the Keyboard Manager shortcut with Ctrl+Shift+P and a text remap, then compare it with the run-program configuration using notepad.exe or explorer.exe. Check whether the configured program launches consistently for both open and closed applications, including with and without a Start in folder. Done means the configured program launches reliably from the remapped shortcut.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Domain
desktop
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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