Windows Copilot Ctrl+Alt+C conflicts with InDesign “Fit Frame to Content” shortcut

[grege52139475]

Hi all,

As of late August 2025, Microsoft has rolled out a new Microsoft 365 Copilot feature on Windows that opens the Copilot chat panel with the shortcut Ctrl+Alt+C.

Unfortunately, this directly conflicts with InDesign’s long-standing “Fit Frame to Content” shortcut, which many of us use constantly.

• InDesign’s shortcut is hard-coded and cannot be reassigned in Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts.

• Microsoft does not currently provide a way to disable or change the Copilot global hotkey.

• Workarounds like PowerToys can suppress the key combo, but then InDesign never sees it either.

• Registry/Group Policy edits can disable Copilot completely, but on many work PCs (like mine) users don’t have permissions to apply these changes.

This is a serious workflow disruption for designers, and right now the only practical workaround is to create a custom script and assign a different shortcut in InDesign — which is clunky compared to using the native key.

👉 Has anyone found an official way to reassign or disable Copilot’s Ctrl+Alt+C?
👉 Adobe team: is there any chance of making “Fit Frame to Content” re-mappable so we can work around Microsoft’s global override?

Thanks — I suspect more designers will run into this as Copilot continues rolling out.

[Eugene Tyson]

The KBSC can absolutely be changed 

• Product area : Object Menu
  • Fitting: Centre Content --- Default: Shift+Cmd+E
  • Fitting: Clear Frame Fitting Options --- [none defined]
  • Fitting: Content-Aware Fit --- Default: Opt+Cmd+X
  • Fitting: Fill Frame Proportionally --- Default: Opt+Shift+Cmd+C
  • Fitting: Fit Content Proportionally --- Default: Opt+Shift+Cmd+E
  • Fitting: Fit Content to Frame --- Default: Opt+Cmd+E
  • Fitting: Fit Frame to Content --- Default: Opt+Cmd+C
  • Fitting: Frame Fitting Options... --- [none defined]

You can also do something written here

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4013165/remap-or-disable-copilot-chatbot-key-on-...

[grege52139475]

Sorry, yes, I realised after posting this that this shortcut can be changed and I have done so, but it's going to take some muscle memory retraining to get used to it, as it's one of my most frequently used shortcuts in InDesign.

Full disclosure, I was using chatgpt to help diagnose this issue - it thought it was a hard-coded shortcut that couldn't be changed.

[Mike Witherell]

Hi Greg,

Method 1: Using Windows Settings (to customize or disable the Copilot key)

This method allows you to customize what the dedicated Copilot key on your keyboard does, including disabling it. 

1. Open Settings: Press Win + I to open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to Text Input: In the left-hand menu, select Personalization and then choose Text input on the right-hand side.
3. Customize Copilot Key: Find the setting for "Customize Copilot key on keyboard" and click on it.
4. Choose an Option: Here, you can choose what action the Copilot key performs, including disabling its function entirely.

Method 2: Using the Copilot App Settings

This method disables the Alt + Spacebar shortcut used to open the Copilot app. 

1. Open Copilot:

Use the Alt + Spacebar shortcut to open Copilot, or click the Copilot icon in the taskbar. 

2. Go to Settings:

Click on the three dots in the title bar of the Copilot window and select Settings. 

3. Disable the Shortcut:

Find the option to "Open Copilot using Alt + Spacebar shortcut" and toggle the switch to turn it off. 

Method 3: Using Group Policy Editor (for Windows 11 Professional, Enterprise, or Education)

This method completely disables the Copilot feature from launching via any shortcut. 

1. Open Group Policy Editor:

Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.

2. Navigate:

Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot.

3. Turn Off Copilot:

Double-click on the "Turn off Windows Copilot" policy, select Enabled, and click OK.

4. Restart or Update:

Restart your computer or run gpupdate /force in the Command Prompt for the changes to take effect.

Method 4: Using Microsoft PowerToys (to remap the Copilot key)

This method involves using the PowerToys utility to remap or disable the Copilot key. 

1. Install PowerToys: Download and install Microsoft PowerToys from the official Microsoft website.
2. Open Keyboard Manager: Launch PowerToys and go to the Keyboard Manager tab.
3. Remap a Key: Click the "Remap a key" button.
4. Select and Disable: From the "Physical Key" dropdown menu, choose the Copilot key. In the "Mapped To" column, you can select another key or choose to disable it.

[grege52139475]

I should have mentioned, this is on a work PC running Windows 10, and some of the methods described are not possible. These methods are also for a dedicated copilot key, which is irrelevant. The issue is a new shortcut that has been rolled out, which is the same as the 'Fit Frame to Content' shortcut.

[Eugene Tyson]

You can change the InDesign keyboard shortcut as I described in the first reply.