Filter Keys is an annoying Windows feature that can be turned off permanently in one simple step. Filter Keys ignores keyboard input unless the key is held down for a significant period of time, and is triggered when you hold down a key, such as shift, for 8 seconds. Tech/engineering blog //engtech explains how to disable Filter Keys permanently:
“Control Panel >> Accessibility Options >> Remove all check-marks
“But wait, there’s more! That isn’t enough to get rid of FilterKeys, you also have to go to the Settings sub-menu and remove the check-marks there.
“Hit OK twice and you’re finally rid of the damned thing.”
If you’ve already activated Filter Keys by accident, you can put a stop to the Filter Keys behavior by pressing both shift keys at the same time. Once you do that, keyboard operations will go back to normal.
Turning off Filter Keys in Windows Vista is very similar to the process in XP, Vista just uses different language to describe the same things. In XP, you need to go to “Accessibility Options”. In Vista, this is referred to as the “Ease of Access Center”. Take a look at “Ignore or slow down brief or repeated keystrokes (Filter Keys)” at the Windows Vista Accessibility Tutorials site. This is a tutorial on turning Filter Keys on, so where Microsoft says “check”, you should un-check, and when they say “turn on”, you should turn off.
