Windows Key Disabled

[The_Chuckinator]

Since I run dual monitors I use snip and sketch for screenshots. I like to help other players, but my shortcut for it is win+shift+s, so the only way for me to take screenshots is through steam, which I cannot draw on (AFAIK). Not having the ability to take editable screenshots is a real pain, and I was just wondering if there was a way to prevent Warframe from disabling the windows key.

I know it is Warframe, because my windows key works properly until a minute or so in, and wont work again until Warframe is fully closed. Even if I am tabbed out of the game. I tried switching display modes among checking for such a setting in the options to prevent it. Theres also a couple other reasons Id enjoy having my windows key useable, but the screenshot function is the biggest one, just not the only reason. I also tried using my keyboard hot keys to disable/enable the key with FN+Win, but that did not work either.

Anything to try and fix this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Rathalio]

That's weird, I'm almost always using to windows+shift+s screenshot and crop at the same time whenever I want to share something. And I've never had any issue with Warframe for that. My guess would that maybe you are playing in fullscreen mode instead of borderless or windowed? Because that mode is definitely meant to be used when you really focus only on the game and don't alt+tab etc. So it can put asleep some stuff and focus better on rendering the game but at the cost of some instabilities when moving to another app while the game is running.

[The_Chuckinator]

31 minutes ago, Rathalio said:

That's weird, I'm almost always using to windows+shift+s screenshot and crop at the same time whenever I want to share something. And I've never had any issue with Warframe for that. My guess would that maybe you are playing in fullscreen mode instead of borderless or windowed? Because that mode is definitely meant to be used when you really focus only on the game and don't alt+tab etc. So it can put asleep some stuff and focus better on rendering the game but at the cost of some instabilities when moving to another app while the game is running.

See, thats what my thinking was. I always play in borderless full, so I tried switching display modes to windowed and fullscreen and had the same result. I was thinking it might be a PC setting, which is still might be, but Warframe is the only game that will disable my windows key on me since Ive had this computer. Ive been trying to narrow it down, about 2 minutes after launching (the full game, the starter window doesnt lock the key) the key gets disabled, and about 45 seconds after closing the game (shows in steam green button with play) you can resume the window key use. I cant think of any PC settings that would affect that other than my hotkeys for disabling the Win key on my keyboard.

 

Edit: While typing this reply, I had the starter window up, and I was incorrect. It disables the Win key as well.

[EDM774]

did you try enabling the setting which changes the print screen key to function as the Win shift S combo? AKA pressing prtscr pulls up snip n sketch, that has saved my ass when the combo refuses to work for whatever reason randomly in games

[Hobie-wan]

I still use good old Purrint often for screenshots as I've been using it since before Windows did more than just plop the screen into the copy buffer. Works fine up to W10 at least. I haven't sullied a machine with W11 yet.

[Birdframe_Prime]

Well... why don't you use the other shortcut for the Snipping tool?

Alt-Tab to the snipping tool, use Ctrl+N for a new snip.

This way you completely ignore the Windows key entirely.

[Nekomian]

@The_Chuckinator I would check to make sure your keyboard isn't using any specific software that would disable the win key in games - some "gaming" keyboards do this because people accidentally hit it a lot and it's intended for convenience. The two keyboards I have (an HP one and some MSI one) both don't have this issue and I can use the Win key in any apps at any time. It might be worth looking into trying a different keyboard and/or making sure you aren't running any external input control software that could influence this.

You can alternatively press alt + print screen to capture only the active window, I do that a lot for quick copy pastes.

[The_Chuckinator]

7 hours ago, EDM774 said:

did you try enabling the setting which changes the print screen key to function as the Win shift S combo? AKA pressing prtscr pulls up snip n sketch, that has saved my ass when the combo refuses to work for whatever reason randomly in games

This worked, thank you so much!

[The_Chuckinator]

21 hours ago, Naroxas44 said:

@The_Chuckinator I would check to make sure your keyboard isn't using any specific software that would disable the win key in games - some "gaming" keyboards do this because people accidentally hit it a lot and it's intended for convenience. The two keyboards I have (an HP one and some MSI one) both don't have this issue and I can use the Win key in any apps at any time. It might be worth looking into trying a different keyboard and/or making sure you aren't running any external input control software that could influence this.

You can alternatively press alt + print screen to capture only the active window, I do that a lot for quick copy pastes.

I was looking at buying a new keyboard, so will have to check into different keyboards. I run a red dragon right now. But as for the gaming mode, thats what I was talking about in my post that if I hit FN+Win it locks the windows key, but thats not what is happening here unfortunately. Hitting those wont do anything, and no other game Ive tested has this issue other than Warframe which is what stumps me the most.