How to Disable the Windows 10 ‘Use sticky keys’ Option

The Accidental Accessibility Trigger

In Windows 10, “Sticky Keys” is a helpful accessibility feature designed for users who have difficulty holding down multiple keys simultaneously (like Ctrl + Alt + Delete). When enabled, you can press a modifier key once, and it will remain “stuck” down until you press the next key in the sequence. By default, Windows has a built-in shortcut to turn this feature on: pressing the Shift key five times in rapid succession.

While well-intentioned, this shortcut is infamous among gamers and power users. If you are playing a fast-paced game that requires rapidly tapping the Shift key (often used for sprinting), or if you simply resting your fingers heavily on the keyboard, your game will suddenly minimize, and a loud, intrusive dialog box will pop up asking, “Do you want to turn on Sticky Keys?” To prevent this frustrating interruption, you must disable the shortcut trigger.

How to Disable the Sticky Keys Shortcut

You can turn off the five-tap trigger in the Accessibility settings.

1. Click the Start button and select the Settings gear icon (or press Windows Key + I).
2. In the Settings menu, click on Ease of Access (or “Accessibility” in newer builds).
3. Scroll down the left-hand navigation pane and click on Keyboard under the “Interaction” section.
4. Look for the section labelled “Use Sticky Keys.”
5. Ensure the main toggle switch for Sticky Keys is turned Off.
6. Crucially, look for the checkbox immediately below it labelled Allow the shortcut key to start Sticky Keys.
7. Click the checkbox to remove the checkmark.

You can now aggressively tap the Shift key as many times as you want. The Sticky Keys dialog box will never interrupt your gaming or typing session again.