SUMMARY It is STILL necessary to edit ~/.config/kwinrc manually to prevent Meta key from opening application menu (see: https://userbase.kde.org/Plasma/Tips#do-not-open-the-start-menu-with-windows-meta-key ) Since changing this setting is simply two commands: kwriteconfig5 --file ~/.config/kwinrc --group ModifierOnlyShortcuts --key Meta "" qdbus org.kde.KWin /KWin reconfigure Why cannot this be done by an easily accessible toggle or checkbox in System Settings? Why is this not accessible in Shortcuts under Plasma or KWin? STEPS TO REPRODUCE 1. Execute two commands written in the SUMMARY 2. Confirm that Meta key no longer opens application menu. OBSERVED RESULT Result can only be achieved through command line EXPECTED RESULT Result should be reachable via GUI toggle or checkbox. SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS Linux/KDE Plasma: Debian Sid (unstable), Linux 5.15.0-2-amd64 KDE Plasma Version: 5.23.5 KDE Frameworks Version: 5.88.0 Qt Version: 5.15.2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION While workaround is available via command line (see SUMMARY), a solution in graphical interface would be preferred.
Can't you just clear the shortcut itself in Kickoff's settings window?
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #1) > Can't you just clear the shortcut itself in Kickoff's settings window? 1. I use Kicker instead of Kickoff. 2. The default shortcut for this Kicker action is set to ALT+F1. 3. Clearing this shortcut changes nothing. It is only modifying ~/.config/kwinrc that helps. And the internet is full of people posting the same question: "how to turn off meta key". Google highlights at least one for each year since 2016.
> 3. Clearing this shortcut changes nothing. That seems like a bug. For me, clearing the shortcut there causes the Meta key to stop opening of Kickoff (or kicker, or whichever launcher has the shortcut assigned). Moving back to KWin.
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #3) > That seems like a bug. For me, clearing the shortcut there causes the Meta > key to stop opening of Kickoff (or kicker, or whichever launcher has the > shortcut assigned). Moving back to KWin. If you need to disable Meta key, set it to an empty string as in comment 1. If unsetting Alt+F1 shortcut doesn't work, it's a plasma bug.
I'm not sure if this is actually related, or just showing similar symptoms, but switching the shortcut to anything else other than alt+f1 (I tried super+a) still makes kickoff trigger on just pressing super.
As of Plasma 5.26; this is explicitly intentional, sorry.