How do I remove or clear custom keyboard shortcuts?

Well, the solution was painfully simple.  Easier than anyone even guessed??

Here's the scoop (from:  https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums  -- thanks for the link Jayant!)

The shortcut key combination is stored in the shortcut link (.LNK file) itself; once the link has been deleted the shortcut key should be gone.  It's my (somewhat vague) understanding that explorer.exe (which maintains your desktop) scans your Start menu and desktop icons looking for shortcut keys, and thereafter keeps them in memory until you log off or change them (or until explorer forgets them, as occasionally happens to me).

Have you logged off and back on since you recreated and deleted your desktop shortcut?  This will close and restart explorer.exe, which should reset shortcut keys to those that are actually defined in a shortcut link somewhere.

I would have *SWORN* that I had logged off/rebooted and still had the issue.  But apparently I never had because that immediately fixed the issue and CTRL+ALT+N is now once again functioning as desired.

Hi Jayant,

I guess I'm just not able to communicate clearly what my issues and needs are.  I'm sorry.

I have *NOT* found any resolution to my primary issue!

My * primary* issue is the non-functioning CTRL+ALT shortcut key.

My *primary* need is to remove the connection between CTRL+ALT+N and an icon that no longer exists.

It has nothing to do with domain or no domain.  It is purely Windows 7 on my local machine.

You yourself referred to the method by which a shortcut key is created, by right-clicking an icon and adding the desired key in the properties dialog box.  

That has nothing to do with being on a domain.

Now I want to remove that shortcut key but the icon no longer exists so I cannot right-click it to modify its properties in this way.  But it is apparently impossible to remove the connection between the shortcut key and the deleted icon.  If it were possible, it would have nothing to do with being on a domain or not.

The settings on my computer are not controlled by any network administrator.  We don't have a network administrator (in fact, I myself am the closest thing to one that we have).  

I modified the settings myself using features in Windows 7.  I assumed that was done could be undone somehow.

Thank you for that link.  However, it looks very technical and complicated and not related to my question.  

I am only talking about the built-in ability in Windows to create keyboard shortcuts to programs, files & folders.

Is there a way to remove the shortcut key, created in the shortcut properties dialog, after that shortcut no longer exists?

I know it is confusing because there are two different uses of "shortcut" here and unfortunately, I can't think of any other way to talk about it.

1. an icon (usually on one's desktop) that is a link to a program, file or folder that resides somewhere else.
2. a combination of keys on the keyboard which, when pressed, do something.  

In my particular question, the second type of shortcut is used to open/activate the first type of shortcut mentioned in #1 above.

Thank you again for your reply.  However, my problem is that the icon was deleted.  I cannot go into the properties and set the shortcut key to "None" because there is no icon.

However (and this is my problem), that particular key combination that I used for the icon which has been deleted no longer functions for anything.  It is obvious that Windows still recognizes it because when it is pressed, the focus is removed from the active window.  It seems that Windows is trying to find the original icon but cannot.

I have tried to assign that same combination to a different icon and nothing happens (other than the removal of focus).

So, back to my original question:  Is there any way to clear these shortcut keys AFTER the icon no longer exists?

Thank you for your help!

Hello,

Thank you for keeping us posted.

I apologize for the inconvenience caused to you.

I would suggest you to perform the following steps and check if it works to remove custom keyboard shortcuts.

1. Right click on the icon the desktop.
2. Go to properties.
3. Click on the shortcut tab.
4. Under shortcut tab, check for the shortcut key option.
5. Please type none in the shortcut key.
6. Click on apply, and press okay.
7. Rebootthe system and check if it works.

For reference:

Create Keyboard shortcuts to open programs.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-keyboard-shortcuts-open-programs#1TC=windows-7

I hope this information is helpful.

Please do let us know if you need any further assistance, we will be glad to assist you.