Filter Keys lets your keyboard ignore brief or repeated key presses

Filter Keys is an accessibility feature that slows down how fast your keyboard registers repeated presses and filters out accidental taps. It was designed for people with tremors or limited motor control, but it can get turned on by accident — usually when you hold Shift for eight seconds, which is the default keyboard shortcut. If your keyboard suddenly feels sluggish or won't register quick double-taps, Filter Keys is likely on.

Turning it off takes less than a minute on either Windows or Mac. The steps differ slightly between systems, but both let you disable it permanently or just turn off the keyboard shortcut so you don't trigger it by accident.

Key Takeaways

  • Filter Keys activates by holding Shift for eight seconds on Windows, or by pressing Option-Shift-F3 on Mac — both are accidental triggers.
  • On Windows, open Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, then toggle Filter Keys off under "Sticky Keys and Filter Keys".
  • On Mac, go to System Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, then uncheck "Enable Slow Keys" (the Mac name for the same feature).
  • You can also disable just the keyboard shortcut while keeping the feature available, so you won't turn it on by accident.
  • If you use Filter Keys intentionally, you can adjust how long the delay is before a key press registers.

How to turn off Filter Keys on Windows 11 and Windows 10

Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I, or click the Start menu and type "Settings" into the search box. Click the Settings app when it appears.

In Settings, click Accessibility in the left sidebar. Then click Keyboard under the Accessibility section. Scroll down until you see the section labeled Sticky Keys and Filter Keys. Toggle the Filter Keys switch to the off position. The switch will turn gray when it is off.

If you want to keep Filter Keys available but prevent the Shift shortcut from turning it on, stay in that same menu. Under Filter Keys, click the toggle for Allow the shortcut key to start this feature and turn it off. Now you can only control Filter Keys through this Settings menu, not by accident from your keyboard.

How to turn off Slow Keys on Mac

On Mac, the same feature is called Slow Keys instead of Filter Keys. Open System Settings by clicking the Apple menu in the top left corner and selecting System Settings, or press Command-comma while most apps are open.

Click Accessibility in the sidebar. Then click Keyboard. Look for the toggle labeled Slow Keys and turn it off. The toggle will no longer be highlighted when it is disabled.

If you want to disable the keyboard shortcut (Option-Shift-F3) so you cannot trigger Slow Keys by accident, stay in the Keyboard accessibility menu. Click the Options button next to Slow Keys, then uncheck Allow keyboard shortcut to toggle this setting. Close the Options window and you are done.

What Filter Keys actually does and why it might feel wrong

When Filter Keys is on, your keyboard waits a fraction of a second after you press a key before it registers the press. It also ignores key presses that happen too quickly in a row — so if you tap a key twice by accident in quick succession, the second tap may not register. This prevents accidental double-letters and repeated characters from shaky hands.

The problem is that this delay makes typing feel sluggish, and it breaks things like keyboard shortcuts that require fast, precise timing. Double-clicking a key to select a word, or holding a key to move a cursor quickly across text, becomes unreliable. Most people who turn it on by accident notice when ready because their keyboard feels broken.

Adjusting the delay if you use Filter Keys intentionally

If you actually need Filter Keys for accessibility reasons, you can adjust how long the delay is. On Windows, go back to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard > Filter Keys, and look for Filtering options. You can set the delay time in milliseconds — lower numbers mean less delay. You can also adjust the repeat rate, which controls how long you have to hold a key before it starts repeating.

On Mac, open System Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, click Options next to Slow Keys, and adjust the Acceptance delay slider. Moving it to the left makes the delay shorter; moving it to the right makes it longer. Test the setting by typing in the preview box at the bottom of the window.

Why the Shift key shortcut keeps turning Filter Keys back on

Windows has a built-in keyboard shortcut to toggle Filter Keys on and off: hold the right Shift key for eight seconds. This is meant to let people with accessibility needs turn the feature on quickly, but it is straightforward to trigger by accident if you hold Shift while typing or using a keyboard shortcut. Many people discover Filter Keys is on only after they have held Shift for a few seconds and suddenly notice their keyboard stopped responding normally.

The same thing happens on Mac with Option-Shift-F3, though it is less common because the combination is harder to press by accident. If you find yourself turning Filter Keys on repeatedly without meaning to, disabling the keyboard shortcut (as described above) is the best solution. You can still turn the feature on through Settings if you ever need it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my keyboard feel slow all of a sudden?

Filter Keys is the most common cause. Check Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard on Windows, or System Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard on Mac, and look for Filter Keys or Slow Keys. If the toggle is on, turn it off. You may have activated it by holding Shift (Windows) or Option-Shift-F3 (Mac) by accident.

Can I turn off just the keyboard shortcut and keep Filter Keys available?

Yes. On Windows, go to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard > Filter Keys and toggle off "Allow the shortcut key to start this feature". On Mac, click Options next to Slow Keys and uncheck "Allow keyboard shortcut to toggle this setting". The feature stays available in Settings but won't set up from your keyboard.

What is the difference between Filter Keys and Sticky Keys?

Sticky Keys lets you press modifier keys (Shift, Control, Alt) one at a time instead of holding them down while pressing another key. Filter Keys slows down key registration and ignores accidental repeated presses. They are separate features with different purposes, and both can be turned on or off independently.

Does turning off Filter Keys affect any other accessibility features?

No. Filter Keys and Slow Keys are standalone features. Turning them off does not change Sticky Keys, high contrast mode, screen readers, or any other accessibility setting. Each feature is controlled separately in the Accessibility menu.

My keyboard still feels slow after turning off Filter Keys. What else could it be?

Check if Sticky Keys is on instead — it is in the same Settings menu. You could also have a keyboard driver issue, low battery in a wireless keyboard, or a problem with the keyboard itself. Try a different keyboard if you have one available to rule out a hardware problem.