Microsoft wants everyone to be able to use the computer. That’s why Windows comes with a large variety of accessibility and ease of access tools, so you can bend functionality according to your necessities.
In other words, you don’t need to install any third-party applications to make Windows more flexible, so that it can be used through voice commands, or moving the mouse with your keyboard. There are even some minor tweaks that prove to be just what you need, given the right circumstances.
The feature in question sprung a little controversy amongst gamers, whereas pressing Shift repeatedly resulting in a popup window that surely interrupted, and possibly minimized the game. However, it’s intended to be of help to physically impaired individuals, making the keyboard easier to use.
Windows Sticky Keys are still part of the operating system, so don’t rush to hate or judge the feature and check out what it does:
Working with Windows Sticky Keys
Step 1: Press the Shift key five times until a popup window shows up on your screen.
Step 2: Follow the link to Go to the Ease of Access Centre to Disable the Keyboard Shortcut.
Alternative: Go to the Control Panel and click on Ease of Access. Enter Ease of Access Center, and scroll down to Make it Easier to Focus on Tasks. There, choose to Set Up Sticky Keys.
Step 3: Check the very first box to Turn on Sticky Keys.
Step 4: Under the Keyboard Shortcut section, choose not to Display a Warning Message when turning on a setting, so the prompt no longer appears when Sticky Keys are activated via Shift.
Step 5: Turn Off Sticky Keys when two keys are pressed at once makes it possible to quickly deactivate them so they don’t become a nuisance or have to reach the Control Panel every time.
Step 6 (optional): Choose to Display the Sticky Keys Icon on the Taskbar to know its exact state and quickly toggle it.
Result: If Ctrl, Alt, Shift, and Delete are used in hotkey combinations, you no longer need to keep them pressed, because they toggle just like Caps, Num, and Scroll lock.
Note: Pressing a key once, makes the On state usable once. Pressing the key twice keeps it active until it’s deactivated manually, by pressing it one last time.
Hints:
– Enabling the tray icon lets you know what key is currently on;
– Using the Ctrl + Alt + Del combination no longer requires you to keep all buttons pressed simultaneously.
– Pressing together two of either Ctrl, Alt, Shift, or Del completely deactivates Sticky Keys.
– Activating is done by pressing Shift 5 times.
– A sound alert and tray icon let you know whether or not Sticky Keys are active.
Note: The example below just shows how special buttons function while Sticky Keys are on, with the On-Screen Keyboard for better visualization. Active keys can also be viewed in the Tray Icon.