Keyboard shortcuts not working

[teemuk70349731]

Tool shortcuts (ex. B, I, X..) and Menu shortcuts (ex. CTRL+N, CTRL+N, ALT+CTRL+Z..) are not working. Photoshop does register both CTRL (changes cursor) and ALT (underlines Menu items) and both at the same time (changes cursor). Only hotkeys that seem to work are CTRL+Backspace and ALT+Backspace for filling layer with color.

Going to Edit->Keyboard Shortcuts.. doesn't allow me to set new hotkeys, only remove (does not give error apart from trying to use space, but nothing happens).

What I have done so far:

1. Reset preferences.

2. Reinstall Photoshop.

3. Install earlier versions of Photoshop.

4. Troubleshoot with Adobe Customer Service via remote desktop.

5. Reinstall Windows.

First step towards solving this is the customer service guy figuring out that the hotkeys worked on another account (I think he enabled local administrator account using cmd?). He then concluded that the problem is on Microsofts product. Contacted Microsoft, they said it's not a fault on their end, because the problem is specific only to Photoshop.

Notes:

- Hotkeys do work in Lightroom

- To leave no stone unturned I do admit the problem started when I used a pirated version of Photoshop

- But now I have a license

[JJMack]

It would be helpful if you include the Photoshop version you are using.  For example Adobe acknowledge a problem with shortcuts in cc 2018 and they reported they fix that bug in its first update.  You can also search the feedback web site to see if other have reported the problem you are having.

Here is the CC 2018 bug report I found.

Photoshop CC 2018: Shortcuts using Alt key aren't working correctly (e.g. Alt-Backspace) | Photoshop...

You should never use pirated software ever. There is no way to know what was added to the stolen software beside cracking its protection.

[asdfffffffxcv]

i have the same issue, DellXPS, Windows10, latest Photoshop version.

Alt, spacebar, ctrl, arrowkeys and numpad work. But none of the letter keys or numbers function. They just do nothing like they are disabled.

EDIT: found a "hack" to partially fix it:

Add American English as an optional keyboard in Windows 10 language settings. Then you can use the shortcuts, but also typing is in the american format then with no umlauts letters for example that are needed here in Finland.

How do we determine which languages and keyboards does Photoshop use?

[JJMack]

I see shortcuts fail to work sometimes on my Windows 10 system it like Photoshop looses the Keyboard. When windows give Photoshop Keyboard focus they start working again.  I do not know if the bug is in Windows or In Photoshop it happens often when I first start Photoshop.

[DMandersgaaso]

I changed my Windows preferred language from English with danish keyboard to Danish with danish keyboard and photoshop started responding to keyboard inputs again. Not sure why or how but it works for me so check your Windows preferred language and not just the keyboard layout.

[NoggoChan]

This actually worked! I have two presets on my computer (English with Swedish keyboard & English with English keyboard) on default I have the Swedish keyboard with English language but I often accidentally switch between the two. The last few days I've searched everywhere for a solution to why Photoshop didn't work and I've tried everything from resetting preferances to reinstalling photoshop.

[asdfffffffxcv]

and as additional info, this only seems to affect Photoshop. In Premiere and Illustrator keyboard shortcuts work fine.

[fionalovesjazz]

I had same issue yesterday.Turns out the keyboard shortcuts" Illustrator Defaults.kys"  file is missing.

Check application\illustrator\presents\en_US\Keyboard Shortcuts

if you don't have the file, this might solve your problem.