# Emulating the Windows key (WinXP)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emulating-the-windows-key-winxp/316820
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 13, 2005, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emulating-the-windows-key-winxp/316820 "2005-08-13T03:15:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2005, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emulating-the-windows-key-winxp/316820/1 "2005-08-13T03:15:54Z")
There’s no Window key on IBM ThinkPad T43. It’s rather annoying, considering that I use Window + D to go back to the desktop and Window + E to launch Explorerer. IBM did provide a program which could map the Window key to SHIFT, ALT or CTRL, but it is not really helpful.
Is there any other ways to emulate the window key? Thanks in advance!
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### Author:  [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2005, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emulating-the-windows-key-winxp/316820/2 "2005-08-13T03:46:11Z")
CTRL + ESC should give the same functionality as the Windows key. If you press the D or E while CTRL + ESC are still down, then you will get the desktop or Explorer.
I know its a little extra contortion, but it does work. There is one problem with this, according to [Microsoft’s Knowledge Base](http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;238746). If you use CTRL + ESC to open the Start Menu and then close it with the ESC key, performance of the CTRL + ESC (or the Windows key) will be wonky until you reboot.
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### Author:  [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emulating-the-windows-key-winxp/316820/3 "2005-08-13T20:05:09Z")
> [@FatBaldGuy](#):
>
> CTRL + ESC should give the same functionality as the Windows key. If you press the D or E while CTRL + ESC are still down, then you will get the desktop or Explorer.
It doesn’t work on my side.
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### Author:  [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emulating-the-windows-key-winxp/316820/4 "2005-08-13T20:29:14Z")
I believe [KeyTweak](http://webpages.charter.net/krumsick/) will do what you want.