The new Micro~~soft~~slop copilot key always sends the following key-sequence when pressed:
copilot key down: left-shift-down left-meta-down f23-down f23-up left-meta-up left-shift-up
copilot key up: <null>
This means there's no real key-up event when you release the key --> it can't be used (properly) as a modifier like ctrl or alt.
The workaround is to send a pretend key-up event after a time delay, but then you mustn't be too slow / fast when pressing a shortcut.
- Linux workaround: https://github.com/m-bartlett/remap-copilot?tab=readme-ov-file
- Windows workaround https://github.com/randyrants/sharpkeys/issues/560
- https://xcancel.com/dcolascione/status/2019936377408811319
tldr: AI took a perfectly working modifier key from you.
--- edit ---
Some keyboards apparently do the "right" thing and don't send the whole sequence at once, you can remap those properly with keyd, see: https://github.com/rvaiya/keyd/issues/1025#issuecomment-2971556563 / https://github.com/rvaiya/keyd/issues/825
copilot key down: left-shift-down left-meta-down f23-down
copilot key up: f23-up left-meta-up left-shift-up
this will still break left-shift + remapped copilot and left-meta + remapped copilot, but RCtrl remaps should work as expected
"tldr: AI took a perfectly working modifier key from you." - 'AI' ?? I can't see how this is anything but Microshit and Capitalism that 'takes away" anything..
That's the former right click button location. They took it away to implement a AI button. So it's AI that's done it, not literally but figuratively.
They (Microsoft) did actually also originally implement it, the application key was added to Microsoft keyboards in 1994 along with the Windows key. It's meant to give compatibility to the Windows user interface when your PC had a mouse with only one button. Don't remember those being very relevant in the recent years.
So it's Microsoft deciding that their right-click button isn't necessary any more after 32 years, and swapping it for a Co-Pilot/Windows Search button.