How do I turn off Sticky Keys in Windows 11?

Sticky Keys is a great accessibility feature in Windows 11. It removes the need to hold down modifier keys, such as Ctrl, Shift or Alt, while pressing another key. For instance, instead of keeping Ctrl held down while pressing the C key to copy something, Sticky Keys allows you to simply tap Ctrl and then the C key.

Allowing the modifier keys to ‘stick’ in this way can be helpful if you have a physical disability or are suffering from repetitive strain injury. However, most of us find we’ve suddenly turned this feature on by accident and would prefer to be without it. So how do you turn off Sticky Keys in Windows 11? Let’s find out.

Using Shift to turn off Sticky Keys in Windows 11

You have likely turned Sticky Keys on by accidentally pressing the Shift key five times and then selecting Yes to the prompt below.

Turn on Sticky Keys open after pressing the Shift key fives times

So one of the easiest ways to turn off Sticky Keys is to repeat the process and press the Shift key five times. You won’t get any prompts this time, but you may notice the Sticky Keys icon disappear from the taskbar.

Using the Quick Settings to turn off Sticky Keys

The accessibility menu is also available in the Quick Settings menu. You can launch quick settings by holding down the Windows key and pressing the A key. Alternatively, click on the set of icons next to the time and date on the taskbar. Now click the Accessibility option from the menu that appears.

Quick Settings Menu in Windows 11 Taskbar

The Accessibility menu will show the various options with Sticky Keys at the bottom of the list. Click the Blue Toggle switch to turn Sticky Keys off.

Sticky Keys option in Quick Settings Windows 11

Using Settings to turn off the keyboard shortcut for Sticky Keys

As you’ll most likely turn on Sticky Keys accidentally by pressing Shift five times, it may be a good idea to turn off this keyboard shortcut. To do so, open the Windows start menu, type Settings in the search bar, and hit Enter.

Selecting Settings from Windows 11 start menu

Now select Accessibility from the left-hand list.

Accessibilty option in Windows 11 settings

Now, on the right-hand side, scroll down and under the Interaction heading, select Keyboard.

The Sticky Keys option should appear at the top of the list. You can also use this setting to turn the feature on and off. However, to disable the keyboard shortcut, click the small arrow next to the toggle switch. Five further options will appear, with the first allowing you to turn off the shift key shortcut. To do so, click the blue toggle switch on the right-hand side so it displays Off, as shown in the picture below.