[macOS Sequoia] Using RegisterEventHotkey with option and shift modifiers doesn't working anymore

UI Frameworks AppKit macOS AppKit

Created Sep ’24

Replies 22

Boosts 10

Views 13k

Participants 30

Hello.

In my app, I use RegisterEventHotkey to implement global keyboard shortcuts to trigger actions.
Up until macOS Sequoia, I was able to use a keyboard shortcut with option and shift as the modifiers, like option shift 2 (⌥ ⇧ 2).
Now, on macOS Sequoia, using RegisterEventHotkey to register a hotkey with those exact modifiers (option and shift), regardless of the key, fails with the error -9868 (eventInternalErr).

Is this a documented and wanted change, or is this a bug? Other modifier keys (just command, command option, command shift, command control, control shift, etc), all work.

Any insight into this would be appreciated. (Feedback filed: FB15163561)

Thank you,
Matthias

Answered by Frameworks Engineer in 804374022

This was an intentional change in macOS Sequoia to limit the ability of key-logging malware to observe keys in other applications. The issue of concern was that shift+option can be used to generate alternate characters in passwords, such as Ø (shift-option-O).

There is no workaround; macOS Sequoia now requires that a hotkey registration use at least one modifier that is not shift or option.

Boost

marspace OP

Nov ’24

Hi, I am a poweruser which upgraded to MacOS 15, at first I thought my shortcuts not working was just a bug, but then after research I got here.

Please consider restoring it to previous behavior, it is not acceptable that I can't assign shortcuts according to my likings.
New feature UX is bad, why it is not conveying that some shortcuts can't be done, so they are saved and shown in keyboard settings, ultimately, do not work.

...Like Pancakes OP

Nov ’24

How much sandboxed malware has been used for keylogging? Even if there was a real case of it happening, beyond silly theorization, how does the change in Sequoia prevent it?

Frameworks Engineer OP

Apple

Nov ’24

This issue has been addressed in macOS 15.2 Beta 2 (Build: 24C5073e). The hotkey API now allows hotkeys with only Option (or Option-Shift), without also requiring Command or Control modifiers.

stathisaska OP

Dec ’24

HI folks!

@Frameworks Engineer thank you for providing clarification to us for this issue. Hopefully this will get addressed ASAP, since as peers mentioned above, it wouldn't prohibit malware to exploit passwords. On the other hand, what it has done is kill productivity for the biggest part of power users.

Thanks, Stathis Askaridis pineapple.gr

mspinelli OP

Dec ’24

Wait...is this why Option + [Left Arrow | Right Arrow] no longer navigates one word left and one word right in the terminal like it did on my previous Mac? (I just upgraded to an M4 Pro Mini from Sonoma)

Cristi Baluta OP

Jan ’25

This is frustrating, i was using useless keys like § to trigger my clipboard manager.

This was work created by managers to waste time in the company.

hyperfocus OP

It's now been one year, and I can confirm that this bug still hasn't been solved. I'm currently using Karabiner Elements to remap ⌥ and ⇧⌥ to other modifier keys as a workaround for this issue. Recently, I decided to remove those remappings to check whether the problem had been resolved natively. Initially, the issue didn't reappear, but after some time—specifically after enough screen unlocks—the ⌥ and ⇧⌥ modifier keys combined with alphabetic keys started producing alternative keyboard characters again. This effectively blocks those modifiers from being used in key bindings. Apple, please look into this again. It's ridiculous that I have to resort to rebinding the ⌥ and ⇧⌥ keys in Karabiner Elements just to use ⌥ and ⇧⌥ keybindings effectively.