Share via

Disabling Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Article

5/10/2007

Certain keyboard combinations may allow access to programs or features that you have hidden from the Start menu or other parts of the user interface. The keyboard combination CTRL+ALT+DELETE is normally used to display the Windows logon prompt after the computer has booted, or to display Task Manager when the computer is already logged on.

The Windows logo key by itself hides or shows the Start menu. It can be used with other keys to run or open other Windows functions such as My Computer, System Properties, the Run dialog box, or the computer locking function.

To disable keyboard shortcuts

  • Use Ginastub.dll, set a policy in Group Policy Editor, or write low-level keyboard hooks. :

    You can disable just about any key combination with one of these methods. To view detailed examples and instructions, see the MSDN article about disabling keys in Windows XP at this Microsoft Web site.

  • Use Ginastub.dll, set a policy in Group Policy Editor, or write low-level keyboard hooks. :

    You can disable just about any key combination with one of these methods. To view detailed examples and instructions, see the MSDN article about disabling keys in Windows XP at this Microsoft Web site.

To block ALT+F4 (WM_CLOSE)

  • This is application-specific behavior, and each application can choose whether to process or ignore a WM_CLOSE request.
  • This is application-specific behavior, and each application can choose whether to process or ignore a WM_CLOSE request.

To block CTRL+ALT+DEL with Ginastub.dll

  • Download and modify Ginastub.dll, a Microsoft® Visual Studio® 6.0 sample, from this Microsoft Web site.

    - Or -

  • Remove taskmgr.exe from your image.

  • Download and modify Ginastub.dll, a Microsoft® Visual Studio® 6.0 sample, from this Microsoft Web site.

    - Or -

  • Remove taskmgr.exe from your image.

To disable the Windows logo key

  • Add the following registry keys to your run-time image.

    You can use regedit or create a component that adds these values.

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ Keyboard Layout

    Name: "Scancode Map"

    Type: REG_BINARY (Binary Value)

    Value Data: "00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 5B E0 00 00 5C E0 00 00 00 00"

    - Or -

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

    Name: "NoWinKeys"

    Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)

    Value Data: 0 to disable restriction, or 1 to enable restriction

  • Add the following registry keys to your run-time image.

    You can use regedit or create a component that adds these values.

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ Keyboard Layout

    Name: "Scancode Map"

    Type: REG_BINARY (Binary Value)

    Value Data: "00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 5B E0 00 00 5C E0 00 00 00 00"

    - Or -

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

    Name: "NoWinKeys"

    Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)

    Value Data: 0 to disable restriction, or 1 to enable restriction