How to Disable Filter Keys in Windows 7

Filter Keys is a Windows feature that kicks in whenever you hold down a key for 8 seconds or longer. It’s meant to be an accessibility feature that makes your keyboard easier to use, but often times it ends up confusing users who don’t understand why their keyboard has briefly stopped responding. We previously covered how to turn off Filter Keys in Windows XP and Vista. This article addresses how to turn off/disable the same feature in Windows 7.

Turn off Filter Keys in Windows 7

If Filter Keys has turned on and your keyboard is no longer responding as you would like, follow these directions in order to turn off Filter Keys:

1. Click Start
2. Click Control Panel
3. Click the Ease of Access heading.
4. Click Change how your keyboard works.
5. Remove the check mark in the box next to “Turn on Filter Keys”.
6. Click the OK button.

Disable Filter Keys from the Windows 7 Control Panel

You can also disable Filter Keys by doing the following:

1. Go to the same Ease of Access screen… click Start → Control Panel → Ease of Access → Change how your keyboard works.
2. Click the blue Set up Filter Keys link.
3. Under Keyboard shortcut, remove the check mark from the box next to “Turn on Filter Keys when right SHIFT is pressed for 8 seconds”.
4. Click the OK button.