PowerToys Run should use a different default key - alt + space is already used in windows for opening the application menu

[eddieparker]

Description of the new feature / enhancement

While I realize I can change this, everytime I have a new machine and setup powertoys I have to reconfigure the default since powertoys run overrides the default behaviour of alt-space.

Scenario when this would be used?

New users who want to play with powertoys run but don't want to lose the functionality of alt-space

Supporting information

No response

[dedavis6797]

#3381 likely tracks your desired functionality when setting up a new machine.

For completely new users, this is a fair point. alt + space was chosen as a comparable experience to Mac's command + space shortcut. We likely won't change the default without significant telemetry to suggest a change is preferred, but we can probably make it more apparent that it's customizable in the "Welcome to PowerToys" window that opens on first launch.

Thanks for the feedback!

[DerekRead]

I was contemplating on filing exactly the same issue for a few weeks but put it off.
I see this issue has been closed as "won't fix" now but I think that's a pretty big mistake.

Adding my two cents as there has been no other feedback and the developers seem to have have questioned why this was an issue.

The main reason: software should never cause a direct conflict with a standard Windows OS feature (this by itself should be enough) especially when that feature is assumed to be built into every (almost) application as default functionality.

1. I don't know how many people rely on the Windows application menu but I assume the number is not insignificant. I use it. My usage is fairly infrequent but I do use it. The number of people that cannot operate a mouse is also not insignificant. I have found myself in rare instances using it for automation tasks (scripting) as well.
2. People that install PowerToys very likely will not have installed it to use "PowerToys Run" but one of the many other PowerToys features and so will not be aware of this feature. Some subset will be surprised that Alt+Space no longer functions "normally" and some (probably very significant) portion of that subset will have no idea why.
3. The fact that "PowerToys Run" is enabled by default but does not identify itself in any way makes it non-trivial to understand why it is appearing when it does. It has no window frame, no titlebar, no icon, toolbars, help button, or anything else that identifies it as being part of PowerToys. Someone that doesn't know PowerToys has this feature could assume anything from a Windows update having changed this standard Windows functionality to any of the other applications they may have installed recently. In fact, the last thing they might expect to be conflicting with a standard OS feature would be software sanctioned by Microsoft itself.

[ascarter]

@dedavis6797 we are not on Macs when running PowerToys Run. While I too have a long background with macOS, it seems problematic to default to a long established Windows shortcut. Why wasn't Win+Space chosen? The windows key seems like fair game for this sort of customization. That's what I typically override PowerToys Run to use.

[BillR5GitHub]

@eddieparker Good luck making any headway. A rather poorly done survey early on has been used as an excuse to dismiss any objections to redefining this Windows standard of 30-some years (see Win 2 emulator). As more people use PowerToys, this will cause more problems. I also suspect as more PowerToys developers and users commit it to muscle memory, this will be ever harder to change. The sooner changed, the better!

Note, in the community poll sometimes cited as the reason to close threads objecting to Alt+Space as the default shortcut for Run, Alt+Space received 2 of 16 votes (tied for 3rd) #5331 (although I don't think the poll was well-structured).
Result: https://www.strawpoll.me/20785284/r

[d-c-d]

I just killed powertoys because I needed to send alt-space to a window -like in the old days