How to Use Simple Disable Key

Video Tutorials

Older version video tutorials can be found on our Youtube Channel

How to specify which Key to disable

To disable a key or key combination :

1. Enter the desired key or key combination in the "Key" text box (1).
You can also disable a key combination that includes modifier keys such as Control key, Shift key, Alt key, Windows key e.t.c. To do that, press the key combination in the "Key" text box or another way to do that is to press the key without the modifier keys and then check the desired modifier keys check boxes afterward.

2. Press the "Add Key" button (2).

3. In the new screen that will appear, set the desired Disable Mode (always, for a specific program or based on a time and week schedule or for a time period after disabling).

4. To start disabling this key and hide the application press on the "Disable Keys" button (5). To disable new keys, repeat steps 1. and 2.

Disable Modes

When you specify a new key to disable and press on the "Add Key" button (2) another screen will appear where you have to specify the disable mode.

You can choose whether always to disable the key, disable on time and week schedule, disable the key only for a specific program or disable the key for a program only and also based on time and weekly schedule or for a time period after disabling.

To disable the key only for a specific program, it is necessary to specify the program name (filename without the extension .exe) or simply you can press the "Browse" button on the right of the screen and select the program file executable.

To disable the key on a time and week schedule, you have to specify the scheduled start and end time and also you can specify the days for which the key should get disabled by checking and unchecking the appropriate day check boxes.

To disable a specific program on a specific time schedule, select "Schedule" and specify the program and you have to specify the scheduled start and end time and also you can specify the days for which the key should get disabled by checking and unchecking the appropriate day check boxes.

You can also disable the keys for a specific time period after you press the "Disable Keys" button.

Select the option "For time period after disabling" and then enter the from time period values and to time period values.

If for example you specify a "To Time Period" of 2 hours this means that when you press the "Disable Keys" button the keys will get disabled for two hours only and afterwards will function normally.

Finally, press on the "OK" button. You can now specify another key to disable.

How to disable the mouse

To disable the mouse select "Add Disable Mouse Options" from the "Mouse" menu.

Then you can specify which mouse buttons to disable or to disable all mouse movement.

Check "Enable Windows Task bar" to enable clicking and movement of the mouse when you are above the Windows Task bar.

You can also disable mouse for only a specific area of the screen or for an specific area of the application's Window.

Check "Use Screen coordinates" and specify the area that you want to disable if you want to disable this area for the whole screen or check "Use Application Window coordinates" to disable the mouse only for the specific area of the specific application.

How to disable the mouse for a specific program only

To disable the mouse for a specific program only you have to specify which mouse buttons to disable or to disable mouse movement and then press on the "OK" button and select "Disable for Program Only" or "Disable for Program and on Schedule" and specify the program name.

Then when the mouse gets disabled for the program only, you can continue to use the mouse normally for the other applications by pressing on the "Alt-Tab" keys to change the active program.

How to allow typing of specific words only

If you want to allow typing of only specific words e.g. stock ids go to menu "Specific Words Only" and then select "Add allow typing of specific words only Options".

Then in the next window enter in the text box the words that you want to allow to type e.g. the stock id.

You should enter one word or phrase on each line.

You can also enter specific key codes to allow. Press the "Select" button to select a key code.

Moreover, you can check the check boxes "Allow always Enter key" to allow the enter key, "Allow always Shift key" to allow the Shift and Caps Lock key and "Allow always Backspace key" to allow the backspace key.

After entering the words you want to allow press the "OK" button.

In the next window you can specify more options releated to when to disable keys e.g. always, for a program only, on schedule, for time period.

In the end press the "OK" button and then the "Disable Keys" button of the main window to disable the keys.

How to start disabling the keys

To start disabling the keys press on the "Disable Keys" button on the main screen (5). It is necessary though before to have specified which keys to disable.

Then the application window is hidden, and the specified keys will get disabled based on the conditions you have previously defined.

Simple Disable Key can now get accessed and shown by right-clicking on the "Simple Disable Key" icon in the system tray and selecting "Show" from the menu or by clicking again on the "Simple Disable Key" shortcut.

How to enable a previously disabled key

To enable a previously disabled key, you will have to select the key row on the grid (3) and press the "Remove" button on the right (4).

If you have disabled the key for multiple conditions, then you will have to remove all rows of that key. Afterward, press the "OK" button on the main screen.

How to temporarily enable all keys

To temporarily enable all keys press on the "Enable All Keys" button in the main screen.

How to disable Control - Alt - Delete

To disable Control - Alt - Delete key combination functions check the "Disable Control - Alt - Delete Functions" menu item from the "Options" menu.

Afterwards, due to Windows limitations you will be able to press Control - Alt - Delete but the options that are normally shown to the user, such as Lock, Switch user e.t.c. will be hidden.

How to disable the Task Manager

Due to Windows limitations, key disabling does not work in the Task Manager.

Therefore, it is advised to disable the Task Manager when you disable keys.

To do that, check the "Disable Task Manager" menu item of the "Options" menu.

How to hide Start Menu and Task Bar and disable Windows Key

If you want to prevent the user from logging off, lock e.t.c. you can also disable the Start Menu and Task Bar.

To do that, check the "Hide Start Menu and Task Bar and disable Windows Key" menu item from the "Options" menu.

How to set and lock the state of the Num Lock, Caps Lock, Scroll Lock and Insert keys automatically

To set and lock the state of the Num Lock or Caps Lock or Scroll Lock or Insert keys automatically you have to do the following.
1. Enter the desired key to lock in the text box.
2. Press on the On or Off buttons to set its desired state or if you want to disable it press on the "Not Set" button.
3. Press on the "Add Key" button.
4. Press on the "OK" button to start disabling the keys.

How to disable keys automatically at Windows startup

How to disable a key for all modifier key combinations

To disable a key for all modifier key combinations check the "All Combinations" check box of the "Modifier Keys" section.

How to disable keys even on the Windows Log-on and Lock Screen

To disable keys automatically even on the Windows Login and Workstation Lock screen check the "Disable Keys on the Windows Login Screen" menu item of the "Options" menu. After that, restart the application and press the "OK" button to disable the keys.

How to include and exclude key ranges

To disable key ranges press on the "Select" button and then on the "Key Ranges" tab enter the "Include Keys Range" and also the "Exclude Keys Range" and then press on the "OK" button.

How to include and exclude key code ranges

To disable key code ranges press on the "Select" button and then on the "Key Ranges" tab enter the "Include Key Codes Range" and also the "Exclude Key Codes Range" and then press on the "OK" button.

Key code ranges should be comma separated and you can find the key codes of keys on the list of the first tab "Keys".

How to disable key for specific screen or application area

To disable key for specific screen or application area, enter the key in the "Key" text box and then press on the "Add Key" button.

There on the "Screen Area" tab check the "Disable only for specific screen area check box" and then press the "Select Area" button to select the area or check the check boxes "Position Condition" and enter the screen area coordinates.

Finally, press on the "OK" button.

How to allow N key presses for time period

To allow N key presses for time period, enter the key in the "Key" text box and then press on the "Add Key" button.

There on the "Allow N presses for time period" tab check the "Allow N presses for time period" and then enter the number of presses and time period details.

Finally, press on the "OK" button.

How to allow N mouse clicks for time period

To allow N mouse clicks for time period, select from the menu "Mouse" the menu item "Add Disable Mouse Options".

There on the "Allow N presses for time period" tab check the "Allow N presses for time period" and then enter the number of presses and time period details.

Finally, press on the "OK" button.

How to disable all keys

To disable all keys, press on the "Select" button and then in the window that will open on the "Key Ranges" tab leave the include keys empty and press the "OK" button or enter "a-z" in the include keys range to disable all alphabetic keys.

How to use same Settings for all Windows Users

To use settings for all Windows users check the "Use these Settings for all Windows Users" check box. Then the current user settings will be used for all Windows users. The user should have administrator privileges.

Command line usage

Simple Disable Key can also be executed from the command line. This is useful for inclusion in scripts e.t.c.

Please note that if you want to use Simple Disable Key from the command line it is necessary to disable the "Simple Disable Key Main Service" windows service to avoid running the application automatically again when it is closed.

You can see the hexadecimal key codes (for the /hexkeycode switch) and the vkcode codes (for the /vkcode switch) of the keys by pressing the "Select" Key button of the main screen.

The command line usage is the following :

Disable keys or mouse.
            SimpleDisableKey.exe
            [/keycode:KEY_CODE]
            [/hexkeycode:HEX_KEY_CODE]
            [/vkcode:VKCODE]
            [/ctrl]
            [/shift]
            [/alt]
            [/altgr]
            [/win]
            [/apps]
            [/allmodifiers]
            [/program:PROGRAM_EXE_NAME]
            [/schday:SCHEDULE_DAYS]
            [/schstart:SCHEDULE_START_DATE]
            [/schend:SCHEDULE_END_DATE]
            [/state:KEY_STATE]
			[/mouse:MOUSE_DISABLE_SETTINGS]
            [/hide]
            [/enableall]
            [/?]\n\n            
            keycode : keycode of key that will get disabled.
            hexkeycode : hexademical keycode value (as it is in the "Select Key" screen).
            vkcode : vkcode of key that will get disabled.                        
            /ctrl : Key combination includes the Control key
            /shift : Key combination includes the Shift key
            /alt : Key combination includes the Alt key
            /altgr : Key combination includes the AltGr key
            /win : Key combination includes the Windows key
            /apps : Key combination includes the apps key
            /allmodifiers : Key combination includes All modifiers
            program : disable for specific program.
            schday : Schedule Day (three letters for each day) e.g. MonTueWedFri .
            schstart : Schedule start date file time e.g. "3/14/2010 2:30:00 AM".
            schend : Schedule end date file time e.g. "3/14/2010 2:30:00 AM".
            state : key state for numlock key e.t.c. 1 is on 2 off.
			mouse : mouse disable settings e.g. LEFTBUTTON|RIGHTBUTTON|LEFTD|RIGHTD e.t.c.
            /hide : run the application in hidden mode
            /enableall enable all keys and mouse
            /? : show help

For example to disable the H key (keycode : 72 or hex keycode 48) you should run the following command :

SimpleDisableKey.exe /keycode:72

For example to disable the Control - N key combination run the following :

SimpleDisableKey.exe /ctrl /vkcode:"N key"

You can get the hexadecimal key codes and the vkcodes from the list of the screen that appears when you press the "Select Key" button of the main screen.

To disable a key for a specific program run something like this :

SimpleDisableKey.exe /program:"totalcmd64.exe" /vkcode:"N key"

To enable all keys and mouse after disabling it we run the following command :

SimpleDisableKey.exe /enableall

The mouse disable settings parameter can consist of one or more of the following switches separated with the | character :

LEFTBUTTON
RIGHTBUTTON
MIDDLEBUTTON
LEFTD
RIGHTD
MIDDLED
X1D
X2D
X1BUTTON
X2BUTTON
WHEEL
WHEELTILT
MOUSEMOVE
ENABLETASKBAR:True|False
TASKBARHEIGHT:Int Value
SCREENCOORDINATES:True|False
Xmin1:Int Value
Xmax1:Int Value
Ymin1:Int Value
Ymax1:Int Value
Xmin2:Int Value
Xmax2:Int Value
Ymin2:Int Value
Ymax2:Int Value

For example, to disable the left mouse button click and left mouse button double click run something like this :

SimpleDisableKey.exe /mouse:"LEFTBUTTON|LEFTD"

How to Register and Buy the application

You can buy our application by visiting the product page on our site and then press the "Buy" button.
Alternatively, start the application and press on the Buy button, and you will go to our store web page. (2)
After buying the application, a registration code will be sent to you via email within minutes.
To register the application and unlock all its functionality and remove the nag screen press on the "Register" button (1).

Then in the registration screen enter the registration code in the text box and press on the "Register" button (1).

How to change user interface language

When the application starts for the first time, it asks you for your desired user interface language.

You can also change the user interface language from the "Language" menu.

Note

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