Author Topic: Cannot get emoji keyboard to come up using shortcut: WIN + . or WIN + ; SOLVED (Read 14193 times)

ejk8626 · « **on:** September 30, 2020, 08:51:04 am »

My system is Dell XPS8900 Desktop with a 1 TB HDD and 16 GB memory. Running WIN 10 Home, Build 19041.508, Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.31.0 (whatever the heck that is...). I have taken all updates as they come.

I have been frustrated for about a month now because I cannot get the emoji keyboard to come up using the standard WIN + . or ; shortcut keys. In my search for an answer, I have run across several tweaks and tried all of them to no avail.

I believe this issue happened after a recent "update" to my system, but I cannot pin down precisely when I noticed it because I do not use that shortcut key combo very often. This is frustrating because on the occasions when I do want to use any emojis, I cannot get the emoji keyboard to come up. I have taken to using GetEmoji and Emojipedia as workarounds.

Any guidance or assistance will be most appreciated.

Thanks.

Boggin · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2020, 01:53:50 pm »

This article is dated August 18 2020 so it must have been one of the September updates.

https://www.howtogeek.com/351344/how-to-use-windows-10%E2%80%99s-new-emoji-picker-in-any-app/

Can you check your restore points to see how far they go back to see if any of those will restore the hotkeys for the emoji keyboard.

ejk8626 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 01, 2020, 09:35:02 am »

Thanks, Tom.

I subscribe to How-to Geek and checked their archive before I wrote my message. I am familiar with that article. It does not, however, address my issue.

I checked my restore points and they do not go back far enough (only a week or so).

I am thinking about doing a "clean up" on my machine and may have to just do a reinstall (not a reset).

Thanks for your interest and assistance.

Boggin · « **Reply #3 on:** October 01, 2020, 02:32:55 pm »

I've just tried the Win key and ; and my emoji keyboard came up and I'm fully up to date with my Win 10, although I don't have the Windows Feature Experience Pack.

It may not have been one of the updates.

In System Restore was there an option to check the box to show more restore points.

Rather than a reinstall you can perform a repair install which doesn't affect personal stuff or installed programs, but before I take you through that, open a Command Prompt (Admin) and enter these cmds and then try those key combos again.

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

sfc /scannow

Enter exit to close the cmd window.

To perform a repair install you will need Win 10 install media.

You can create either a bootable DVD or USB after reading - https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

It defaults to creating the USB and I've found it best to insert an USB before downloading the MCT.

With the install media inserted, open Windows/File Explorer - This PC and double click on the media's drive.

This will start the process if using a DVD but will open to the files when using an USB where you would then double click on setup Application.

I think this took about 4hrs on one of my machines.

ejk8626 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 02, 2020, 09:08:17 am »

Thanks, Tom. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Stay tuned...

Boggin · « **Reply #5 on:** October 02, 2020, 02:24:47 pm »

I will

ejk8626 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 03, 2020, 02:20:59 pm »

Tom,

I believe you are telling me to reinstall windows from a fresh DL from the MS site.

If so, will that require me to reconstruct my programs, file structure, etc. or am I simply copying over the existing installation with the new files to assure there is no "bad" file in the machine?

I have attached a file with the output of the two DOS command lines you told me to perform. From the looks of them, there does not appear to be any file corruption in the existing operating system - or perhaps I am not seeing something that I should.

Your input has been very valuable, but before I do this last step, I just need some reassurance that I am not going to have to reconstruct my entire setup.

Thanks.

Ed

Boggin · « **Reply #7 on:** October 03, 2020, 03:12:53 pm »

A repair install is done from within Windows as I've described and doesn't affect personal stuff or installed programs.

It just overwrites the existing install.

However, if you have modified certain Windows applications then that will default them.

I change aspects of the Command Prompt and I think I have to set up my Realtek Audio settings again.

It may also update my Realtek wireless driver to a Win 10 one from the Win 7 one I have to use, as the Win 10 one doesn't work.

Did you check to see if your emoji keyboard had been reinstated after the dism and sfc cmds ?

ejk8626 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 03, 2020, 03:23:52 pm »

Yes, I did check and it is still not working.

I just had an interesting experience with my attempt(s) to DL the installation media as I was following your instructions. I tried three times and got the same error code each time.

I went through the steps to the point where I was trying to load up my 16GB USB stick. About 2/3 of the way through, I got an error message (Error Code 0xC1800116-0xA001B). I went on the Internet and searched for that error code and I find that you can no longer DL the media creation files direct from MS - unless you are using other than Edge or Google, or Firefox or Opera.

Where can I find a copy that is direct downloadable?

Thanks.

Boggin · « **Reply #9 on:** October 03, 2020, 03:38:16 pm »

I'm still using Internet Explorer.

I'm in the process of testing the download now, so it may be a little while before I can update on this.

ejk8626 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 03, 2020, 03:46:18 pm »

I DL the .ISO file, but must I use a DVD or can I mount that on a USB?

Boggin · « **Reply #11 on:** October 03, 2020, 04:00:05 pm »

It defaults to USB so that button is already checked.

It seems strange that it won't download using Edge when that is the browser MS prefers you to use in Win 10.

My download is at about 10% in creating the install USB.

Boggin · « **Reply #12 on:** October 03, 2020, 04:07:07 pm »

Insert the USB before you download the MCT and select Run on the download and it will create it for you when you check the button to create install media.

The button for USB will be default checked and recognise the drive the USB is plugged into.

ejk8626 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 05, 2020, 09:59:58 am »

Tom,

I managed to DL the WIN 10 2004 .ISO and mounted it on a USB. I tested it as far as unzipping, transferring to a USB stick, and making sure it would begin the process of installing and then stopped it.

My only concern is that if I do a "Keep my files" reinstall, will I lose my apps, manually installed programs, and other goodies and gadgets I have in place, or will it merely overwrite the OS and get it into a place that I only have to tweak a few settings in File Explorer, and possibly in the Settings pages?

Any insight will be appreciated.

I realize that you may have already addressed this, but I am just a slow learner.

Ed

Boggin · « **Reply #14 on:** October 05, 2020, 02:05:56 pm »

With the machine booted up, insert the USB then open Windows/File Explorer - This PC and double click on the USB drive.

This will open to its files where you would then double click on setup Application.

This will only overwrite the existing install and doesn't affect personal files or installed programs.

This is not a Refresh or Reset where you would lose all apps and personal stuff as in the case of the latter, so you will not get that option to retain your personal files.

ejk8626 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 07, 2020, 09:03:49 am »

Thanks.

ejk8626 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 07, 2020, 01:10:54 pm »

Tom,

EUREKA!!!

I followed your instructions (and had my fingers crossed the entire time - even though I took a disk image and backup before I started). It took about two hours and several reboots (without my touching it) and Shazam!, everything is just the way I left it - BUT, I have the emoji keyboards back which was what started this whole thing.

Thank you so much for your patience and for sticking with me through this repair. You are the first person I have corresponded with (after trying a few other forums which I belong to) that actually knew what to do - the first time around.

Thanks again, I don't know if I will ever be able to return the favor, but feel free to ask.

Ed

PS: Is it OK if I send others to this forum if I find issues that I can't help with?

Boggin · « **Reply #17 on:** October 07, 2020, 03:11:20 pm »

That's great news, Ed.

Yes, you are quite welcome to refer others to this forum, although I have occasionally referred others to another forum when I wasn't able to help them.

Boggin · « **Reply #18 on:** October 16, 2020, 05:48:45 am »

I've recently performed a repair install on this machine and remembered it turns off system protection so you need to turn that back on.

It also produces a Windows.old folder which can be about 20GB which you don't need taking up unnecessary space.

I normally run Disk Cleanup as an administrator to get rid of that but as it isn't default checked, you have to check its box.

However, I think if you take ownership of the folder, you should be able to right click on it to select Delete.

You can add Take Ownership to your right click context menu by running the batch file in this article -

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/add-take-ownership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/

Scroll down to the bottom of the article and click on the blue Take Ownership Menu Hacks link.

ejk8626 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 16, 2020, 09:46:35 am »

Tom,

Thanks for the update.

I am running Malwarebytes (the paid edition) and Windows Defender. They did not turn off since Malwarebytes is "in charge."

I am also familiar with the windows.old folder. I looked through it and decided that it was OK to dump. There are several other new folders in the root of the C: drive, but they are zero-byte, so I will not bother to mess with them.

I have to tell you that since going through this repair, I happened to mention to a friend - who considers himself a computer "guru" - about my repair experience and he was totally unaware of it. He asked me if I would walk him through it if he needs to do something as well. Of course, I said "Yes."

Thanks again.

Boggin · « **Reply #20 on:** October 16, 2020, 03:09:05 pm »

You're welcome

When I was talking about system protection I was referring to your restore points.

You can access those by opening Windows/File Explorer - right click on This PC and select Properties where you will see System Protection in the upper left pane to click on.

The repair install isn't peculiar to Win 10 but with Win 7 you are prompted for a product key to activate the volume, but Win 10 is the easiest as it digitally activates.

Win 8.1 may be similar as I believe the product key remains in the BIOS.

Did you add the Take Ownership to your right click context menu ?

ejk8626 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 17, 2020, 09:57:16 am »

Tom,

No, I don't remember that we discussed taking ownership. I know that some operations require that you do so, but I do not believe I have run into it yet.

How do I do that and what is it used for?

Thanks.

Ed

Boggin · « **Reply #22 on:** October 17, 2020, 02:05:23 pm »

After the first time I performed a repair install, I found I was unable to manually uninstall the Windows.old folder, which is why I run Disk Cleanup as an administrator to remove it.

I have since found that you can add Take Ownership to the right click context menu where you just need to right click on any file or folder to select Take Ownership to do what you want with it as described in this link which I've already posted.

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/add-take-ownership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/

The Take Ownership Menu Hacks link to click on is at the bottom or the article.

ejk8626 · « **Reply #23 on:** October 18, 2020, 10:42:03 am »

Thanks, Tom.

I read the article and (being quite familiar with How To Geek) I made the registry changes. I have been playing in the registry for several years and find that if you take your time, you can make the changes manually. I am always a little wary of pre-made hack files because I want to watch how the sausage is made rather than just taste it afterward.

I really appreciate your interest and time spent on the issues we have discussed.

Ed

PS: I see that you are listed as being in the UK. May I ask where (roughly) you are located? I am in South Florida, USA (Naples on the west coast). We have done some traveling in the UK, and plan to come back over (if we ever get to travel again during this pestilence) and explore much more of all the countries. Although we have traveled around the world several times, and extensively in Europe, we never seem to spend a lot of time on your side of the channel. After this time in isolation, we are quite anxious to come back over for a month or two and just soak up the history and culture.

Boggin · « **Reply #24 on:** October 18, 2020, 02:49:34 pm »

If there's a pre-made batch file or hack for a particular function them I'm quite happy to use them.

I have that particular Hack on both my Win 10 upgraded laptops and an earlier Hack on my Win 7 laptop.

I live in County Durham which is in the north east of England.