Need help. ALT + A activates some sort of color picking app and no idea how to disable

Troubleshooting Unexpected Screen Color Picker Activation via ALT + A Shortcut

If you’ve recently noticed that pressing the ALT + A keyboard combination triggers an unfamiliar application—a screen color picker—you’re not alone. This can be disruptive, especially when you’re working on web development, design, or any task requiring keyboard shortcuts. In this article, we’ll explore potential causes, how to identify the application responsible, and effective methods to disable or reconfigure this shortcut.

Understanding the Issue

The user reports that pressing ALT + A opens what appears to be a screen color sampling tool, enabling users to select and copy colors directly from their display with Ctrl + C. The appearance suggests this might be a third-party application or utility running in the background, overlaying features similar to color pickers found in design software.

Potential Causes

Multiple third-party apps and extensions can introduce global shortcuts that might conflict with normal keyboard functions. Common culprits include:

• Color Picker Utilities: Dedicated apps like Instant Eyedropper, ColorCop, or ColorPic.
• Screen Capture or Annotation Tools: Such as Greenshot, Snagit, or ShareX, which often include color sampling features.
• Graphics or Screen Management Tools: Certain graphics drivers or screen managers may also define global hotkeys.

It’s essential to identify which application registers the ALT + A combination.

How to Identify the Responsible Application

1. Check Running Processes:

2. Open Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (macOS) and look for unfamiliar processes.

3. Review Installed Applications:

4. Navigate to your installed programs list to spot utilities related to color picking or screen capturing.

5. Keyboard Shortcut Preferences:

6. Many tools allow customization or disabling of shortcuts. Check their settings for hotkey assignments.

7. Use Hotkey Detection Tools:

8. Utilities like “Hotkey Commander” (Windows) or “Karabiner-Elements” (macOS) can help identify which application responds to specific hotkeys.

How to Disable or Reconfigure the Shortcut

Once you’ve pinpointed the application responsible, you have several options:

• Modify the Hotkey Settings:

• Open the application’s preferences and change or disable the ALT + A shortcut.

• Uninstall the Application:

• If you do not require the functionality, simply uninstall