u/Vegetable-Willow246

I wrote a script to remap the Copilot key (which sends F23) to launch an app. The hotkey was #+F23::, so it used Win+Shift+F23 as the trigger. While the script was running the Win key stopped working entirely — pressing it did nothing.

I assumed closing the script would fix it, but it didn't. Rebooted, still broken. The Win key doesn't register on online key testers like key-test.it. Checked the registry at HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout and there's no Scancode Map entry.

The interesting part: when the script is not running, the Copilot key now opens the Windows Search panel instead of its default Copilot behavior — suggesting Windows is somehow treating the Copilot key as a Win key input rather than the Copilot key.

I tried changing the hotkey to F23:: (removing the Win modifier) but that didn't bring the Win key back, which also suggests the issue existed before that change.

Anyone seen this before? Is using # as a modifier known to cause this? Looking for a way to restore the Win key short of reinstalling Windows.

#+F23::
{
    if WinExist("ahk_exe dtSearchw.exe")
    {
        WinActivate
    }
    else
    {
        Run '"C:\Program Files (x86)\dtSearch\bin\dtSearchw.exe"'
        WinWait "ahk_exe dtSearchw.exe"
        WinActivate
    }
}

PD: I may have done some regedit shenanigans under the influence of AI (big noob here) so take that into account.