PowerToys: Alt + Space not working at all [Powertoys Run doesn't launch]

Environment

Windows build number:  [Version 10.0.18362.836]
PowerToys version: v0.18.1
PowerToys: PowerToys Run

Steps to reproduce

With PowerToys installed and running, press <kbd>Alt</kbd> + <kbd>Space</kbd> from any screen.

Expected behavior

PowerToys Run popup shows up to start typing a command or a search term

Actual behavior

window menu (Restore / Move / Size / Minimize / Maximize / Close) shows up in the top left corner of the focused window if the focus is on a window or nothing at all if the focus is on the desktop.

Screenshots

capture

About this issue

Original URL
State: closed
Created 4 years ago
Reactions: 53
Comments: 90 (25 by maintainers)

Most upvoted comments

I had the same issue. Disabling Administrator mode then restarting PowerToys fixed it for me.

+42

aboalwi on May 26, 2020

I just held down windows key to see shortcuts then after that it worked 😂 I have no idea how that fixed it but it did.

jamiecropley on Aug 22, 2020

Same here. It was working fine in 0.18. I updated to 0.18.1 and now Windows Menu pops up. I tried to restart Power Toys.

PowerLauncher.exe is not running, just PowerToys.exe

EDIT: when starting PowerLauncher.exe manually, it works fine. Maybe it’s an autostart problem?

Sov3rain on May 25, 2020

I had the same issue. Disabling Administrator mode then restarting PowerToys fixed it for me.

Disabling Adminstrator mode fixed it for me ,too

randornot on Jun 26, 2020

@Sov3rain can you do a test?

exit PowerToys
check in the Task Manager if PowerLauncher.exe is still running (it should)
terminate PowerLauncher.exe
restart PowerToys
if PowerLauncher.exe is not running open the Event Viewer and check under Windows Logs -> Application if there is any error related to PowerLauncher.exe

Thanks.

enricogior on May 25, 2020

@Sov3rain can you check if in the PowerToys Settings, the PowerToys Run module is ON?

enricogior on May 25, 2020

Same issue here, new installed powertoys to try out PowerToys Run, but searchbar not popping up when pressing Alt + Space. Tried different shortcut, restarting pc, run as admin and restarting powertoys, but no change.

From another thread: Starting Power Launcher.exe (located in C:\Program Files\PowerToys\modules\launcher\PowerLauncher.exe ) manually works. I’ll try reinstalling and installing powertoys.

deanso on May 25, 2020

@EranBoudjnah OK, good to know it’s not reproducing anymore. We have some fixes for 0.25, hopefully they will remove the original problem.

enricogior on Oct 21, 2020

We just pushed 0.20. Please try this

crutkas on Jul 31, 2020

Add PowerLauncher.exe in startup program it works for me. Just create shortcut from C:\Program Files\PowerToys\modules\launcher\PowerLauncher.exe and create the shortcut to desktop and then add it to shell:startup by run it from windows + R. Copy paste the shortcut from PowerLauncher.exe to the startup folder like this:

And yeah, it works!

resaldir on Jun 17, 2020

@enricogior it works !!! Now PowerLauncher.exe is running like in v0.18. Thanks !!!

daplon on May 29, 2020

Exiting the awake plugin from the tray fixed the issue for me.

Optio1 on Sep 1, 2022

@EranBoudjnah

I exit PowerToys. ALT+Space starts working

When exiting PT, PowerToys.exe and PowerLauncher.exe are not running anymore. It should be impossible for Alt + Space to open PT Run. Are you sure you are exiting PowerToys or are you just closing the Settings app window?

100% certain. Right clicked the tray icon and clicked Exit. Launched PowerToys again and it stopped working. After a reboot both live happily together again, by the way.

EranBoudjnah on Oct 17, 2020

Seems to be working now as of the 0.23.2 update.

On Fri, Oct 9, 2020 at 11:29 PM Chris Dailey notifications@github.com wrote:

@crutkas https://github.com/crutkas before the reboot, at least 20 minutes. I spent plenty of time playing with a few of the other tools before I circled back to the launcher.

After the reboot? Well I tried a couple of times right after boot, as well as while I was writing my initial reply there. I was definitely confused because the ram usage wasn’t changing at all, not even a KB. Then I went and made a cup of coffee, so the k-cup machine took what 3 minutes? Then when I sat back down it was working. 🙃

— You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/3650#issuecomment-706491335, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AB6GHFB5FAOWGSVWQGNFKFDSJ7WMFANCNFSM4NI3SURQ .

gannon345 on Oct 10, 2020

@crutkas before the reboot, at least 20 minutes. I spent plenty of time playing with a few of the other tools before I circled back to the launcher.

After the reboot? Well I tried a couple of times right after boot, as well as while I was writing my initial reply there. I was definitely confused because the ram usage wasn’t changing at all, not even a KB. Then I went and made a cup of coffee, so the k-cup machine took what 3 minutes? Then when I sat back down it was working. 🙃

nitz on Oct 10, 2020

Reporting my personal experience: I’ve first installed as of v0.23.2. Running as administrator. Haven’t been able to get it to work at all. PowerLauncher.exe is running (holding ~100MB of RAM). Initially after installing, the shortcut key would show the context menu similar to @zamanmh1, but minimizing chrome didn’t effect it. After a reboot, Alt+Space now seems to do nothing.

I wrote the above, and got distracted and went and got coffee. When I came back, PowerLauncher’s memory usage had gone up by about 50MB, and now it works. I’m stumped.

nitz on Oct 9, 2020

Sure:

2020-07-31.txt

cantpitch on Jul 31, 2020

Disabling Adminstrator mode fixed it for me ,too
winver => 2004 OS build 19041.329
PowerToys: v0.19.0
Steps to reproduce Install PowerToys Restart as administrator Type Alt+SPACE (default shortcut)

Actual result The active applications “windows menu” is presented = Same as before installing PowerToys

Expected result PowerRun gets displayed

Workaround Disabling Adminstrator mode fixed it for me ,too

me too

MyCupOfTeaOo on Jul 28, 2020

@bojordan Try Reinstall 0.18.2 and remove all in folder “%localappdata%/Microsoft/PowerToys/PowerToys Run”, then restart your PC.

First time I restart my PC, it takes a little time to load (imagine it was creating the folders that must be deleted). But next restart, it load fast and works.

daplon on Jun 5, 2020

@bojordan you May have a different bug then. Please file a new issue so we can work with you on it.

crutkas on Jun 5, 2020

toggled on and off - works now

rholland on Jun 1, 2020

We made a fix for a different issue, that may also effect this issue if you are running PowerToys with administrator privileges. If you want to test an unsigned private build, it’s available here https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/3646#issuecomment-636096648 Thank you!

enricogior on May 29, 2020

I found a problem with myself. It was in this thread: https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/3456 but I did not change anything there. perhaps after rebooting the value is lost again. But by setting alt + space there, performance is restored.

bars949 on May 25, 2020

In windows 10 alt + space these are standard hotkeys. Perhaps with the next update, the priority was increased?

bars949 on May 25, 2020

@enricogior

exit PowerToys

check in the Task Manager if PowerLauncher.exe is still running (it should)

Yes it is.

terminate PowerLauncher.exe

restart PowerToys

Power Launcher is not restarting with PowerToys.

if PowerLauncher.exe is not running open the Event Viewer and check under Windows Logs -> Application if there is any error related to PowerLauncher.exe

No error related to Power Launcher in the event viewer.

Sov3rain on May 25, 2020