PowerToys steals my number keys!

[Johannestegner]

Description

From time to time while using my computer, PowerToys disables my numb-keys (the normal keyboard ones not numbpad).
I'm quite sure that it is PowerToys due to the fact that when I turn it off, the keys are working as usual again.
I have yet to find the reason or a way to reproduce it, but I will update this issue if/as soon as I do.

Environment

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.18362.356]
PowerToys 0.11.0

Steps to reproduce

None found yet.

Expected behavior

Number keys working as usual.

Actual behavior

Number keys not working at all.

[Misoun215]

Same issue. After installing my whole top row stopped working and after a keypress, it showed a Fancyzones layout for a sec. Top row meaning number keys for qwerty.

[zachalig]

I'm also having this issue. My keyboard is a Logitech PRO model Y-U0031 in case that's relevant.

[enricogior]

@Johannestegner @Misoun215 @zachalig
thank you for reporting the issue.

When it happens again, instead of quitting PowerToys can you please follow these steps?
1 - open the PowerToys Settings, turn off the Shortcut Guide and save the settings.
2 - verify if the number keys are still not working.
3 - if the number keys are still not working, leave the Shortcut Guide off and turn off FancyZones as well, and save the settings.
4 - verify is the number key are still not working after turning off FancyZones.
Thank you.

[zachalig]

@enricogior - I did as you suggested and my number keys worked after disabling the Shortcut Guide.

@Johannestegner @Misoun215 @zachalig
thank you for reporting the issue.

When it happens again, instead of quitting PowerToys can you please follow these steps?
1 - open the PowerToys Settings, turn off the Shortcut Guide and save the settings.
2 - verify if the number keys are still not working.
3 - if the number keys are still not working, leave the Shortcut Guide off and turn off FancyZones as well, and save the settings.
4 - verify is the number key are still not working after turning off FancyZones.
Thank you.

[enricogior]

@zachalig
thanks, that will help. I thought I fixed that bug, but clearly I didn't!

[Misoun215]

It did it for me also. Thanks. Keep up the great work. Awsome program.

[Johannestegner]

Haven't had the time to test this yet, but it does seem very promising, will test asap and report back here :)
Is there another issue for the bug or should I leave the issue open in case this was the issue?

[enricogior]

@Johannestegner
let's keep this issue open.
Thanks.

[Johannestegner]

Seems to work here too! Thanks :)

[enricogior]

@Misoun215, @Johannestegner
just to make sure: the problem disappeared when you turned off the ShortcutGuide and left FancyZones on, right?

[Johannestegner]

Oh, I did have to restart the application, but after that I haven't noticed the problem. Maybe just luck?
I have updated to latest version now, so might have been fixed(?) in that one, want me to revert and see if I can break it again?

[enricogior]

@Johannestegner
the bug is supposed to be fixed in v0.12 so please keep using v.012. If it shows up again, try the sequence of steps I described above to turn off individual PowerToys to check which one is messing with the keyboard.
Thank you.

[Johannestegner]

Absolutely, I'll let you know if it happens :)

[VincentJoshuaET]

Also having this issue. I have to turn off FancyZones then turn it on again to fix it.

[enricogior]

Hi @VincentJoshuaET
are you running PowerToys v0.11 or v0.12?
Thank you.

[AdamCh132]

I'm also having this problem, I never noticed it on v0.11, but I've had it on v0.12 and now on v0.13

[Fifteen15Studios]

I had this issue with 0.12, even with the shortcut guide off. (I turned the shortcut guide off shortly after install. Still had the issue.) Just downloaded 0.13. Haven't seen the issue yet, but it's only been installed for about 5 minutes.

[enricogior]

Hi @Fifteen15Studios
0.13 doesn't contain fixes for this issue, so very likely you'll see it again.

[JacqylFrost]

Can also confirm this is still happening on 0.13, even with the shortcut guide off.

[ziplock9000]

I have this issue on 0.12.0 and 0.13.0 on a second monitor.

[Johannestegner]

Yeah, keep on happening here again too on 0.13.0.
I'll try to build it from source and debug later and see if I can pinpoint it though. :)

[Johannestegner]

Also, I know one way for me to reproduce it... Whenever I start "Neverwinter Online" my num-row dies if the tool is running. Could it be connected to DX or something like that?

[bzoz]

The FancyZones keyboard hook intercepts the number keys - if you press a number key while dragging a window you can switch layouts. I guess the FancyZones could get stuck in "user is dragging something" mode, similar to #534.

I guess PRs https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/pull/673 and https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/pull/656 should fix this. I cannot reproduce the issue myself, I'll let you know when a new version is available to test if the problem goes away.

[GeorgeHernandez]

I have been having this issue since v 0.11 and it is still going on with v 0.13. I can't see a pattern to reproduce it. However, what seems to make it go away is to shift-drag a window into a FancyZone.

[exzhawk]

I can confirm it's related to _Hold Shift key to enable zones while dragging_. When it happened, turning this option off (and save) makes number keys available.

[mikeroygray]

Just surfed in. I've been getting this, too, and it had me completely flummoxed.

First noticed it on v 0.12, updating to v 0.13 didn't fix. Keyboard: HyperX Alloy Elite MX Blue (DE Layout). In v 0.11 I WASN'T getting it. I just saw exzhawk's comment, and I'll try deactivating the "Hold Shift key" option. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I had that option OFF in v 0.11, so that may actually be the solution for me. (Don't use that option anyway - just forgot to deactivate when I did a clean install of v 0.12.)

P.S. YES. That solution worked. Not a problem for me, but something you'll want to fix for a next release.

[mgrinspan]

Same issue here. I uninstalled PowerToys before I found this issue so I can't try disabling the "Hold Shift key to enable zones while dragging", but I did have it enabled before I uninstalled.

[mikeroygray]

Grrrrrrr! I've no idea how, but the "Hold Shift Key" turned itself on again. (?) Changing the setting wasn't enough to de-hijack (the settings stuck, the bug continued), nor was exiting and re-starting the program. A reboot solved it.

Very odd.

[MHHenriksen]

One more clue maybe: I only have FancyZones enabled. When this occurs for me, if I hit shift + any number, the zones flash briefly. Could this be tied to shortcuts to swap active zones layout? Because there is a setting to flash them when this happens.

Or maybe just keyboard shortcuts in general, where some state or handler can get stuck, therefore always intercepting number keys.

[enricogior]

Hi @MHHenriksen
what you described is correct, FancyZones enters a state where it thinks a window is dragged and it doesn't exit the state even if the drag was completed.

[marcoleuti]

Same problem on Asus Zenbook UX370UAR, windows 10 home 1903 18362.476

The problem also affects external keyboard. The strange thing is that i can use my numbers on the lock screen to unlock windows via pin, but i immediately lose my numbers when i'm into windows.

[MHHenriksen]

Not so strange, I'd say. That sounds like a password snooping protection mechanism :F

[iSnackyCracky]

I have this issue as well, and now found a way to reproduce it for me:
Use Google Chrome (also reproducable with the new Chromium based Edge) and open multiple (at least 2) windows.
Now drag-and-drop a tab from one to another window (so the tabs get merged into the same window) then the num-row stops working.
(Another thing I noticed: the Win+numrow shortcuts for accessing task-bar apps keep working.)

[enricogior]

Hi @iSnackyCracky
thanks a lot for the reproducible scenario, I can confirm that we have resolved the bug for that case and it will be available in the next release.
Of course we don't know for sure if the fix resolves all other possible scenarios that might have been causing the problem.

[WillPresley]

Hi @iSnackyCracky
thanks a lot for the reproducible scenario, I can confirm that we have resolved the bug for that case and it will be available in the next release.

Any chance that release will be happening soon? I love the new PowerToys, but I have a triple monitor setup with one in portrait, using PT to make two 50% zones top and bottom, and I use Chrome and often drag tabs from one window/monitor to another. This issue has been driving me _NUTS_, and I've been watching this issue like a hawk hoping for a resolution.

Thanks for the great revamp on a nostalgic project!

[enricogior]

Hi @WillPresley
I don't have a date now, but hopefully in the next couple of days we will decide one, I'll try to push as much as possible to get it out next week ;)

[bzoz]

This was probably fixed by https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/pull/673, marking as "resolved".

[jace88]

Ah I'm so glad I finally found this. I thought it was an issue with my Logitech G Hub software!

[matrix4123]

Can confirm... also happening for me.

[BrandonXLF]

So far I haven't experienced this issue anymore since I upgraded to v 0.14.

[enricogior]

This is now fixed in PowerToys 0.14.0 https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/releases

[birdkiwi]

Got this bug in 0.20.1 version. I didn't have ShortcutGuide and FancyZones enabled. Tried to switch on/off this settings, but it helped for only for a short time (~10 sec).