How can I prevent Ctrl+Shift from changing the text direction?

In Windows 7 and 8, the following keyboard shortcuts exist when both left-to-right and right-to-left languages are installed:

Ctrl+Right Shift sets the text direction to right-to-left.
Ctrl+Left Shift sets the text direction to left-to-right.

This is a problem because they conflict with the standard Ctrl+Shift+→ and Ctrl+Shift+← shortcuts. (These are used to select the next/previous word, respectively.)

Besides removing the right-to-left languages from the system, is there a way to disable these shortcuts?

Mert Nuhoglu

Posted 2012-03-15T16:27:33.910

Reputation: 1 970

Is the RTL switch happening also when you have active En (English - United States) keyboard? – miroxlav – 2015-07-29T17:24:39.257

Which word processors? The keyboard shortcuts for left align and right align are usually Ctrl + L and Ctrl + R, respectively. – iglvzx – 2012-03-15T16:31:22.983

1Notepad, for instance, although I would rather categorize it as self-inflicted pain rather than a word processor. – Jonas Byström – 2012-09-19T10:54:20.513

Answers

I haven't found how to disable the shortcut withing Windows, but if you're open to using AutoHotKey, there's a workaround:

Use AutoHotKey to map Right Shift to be Left Shift

No more RTL by mistake, and my Ctrl+Shift+← works without problem. I don't yet know of any reason why I need RShift, so I'm happy with this so far.

AutoHotKey mapping syntax is simple on this one:

RShift::LShift

Credit: Inspired by @gogowitsch in a comment on https://superuser.com/a/490244/93731

Daryn

Posted 2012-03-15T16:27:33.910

Reputation: 155

-1

Go to Control Panel -> Clock, Language, and Region -> Language -> Advanced settings -> Advanced Key Settings -> Change Key Sequence... and change the settings to Not Assigned

Chin

Posted 2012-03-15T16:27:33.910

Reputation: 6 937

3I tried, this doesn't actually stop the RTL change from happening when I hit Ctrl+RightShift (and end up not hitting the left or right arrow) – Daryn – 2017-03-23T19:23:22.797