Settings Reference

Configure ControlNav to match your preferences and workflow.

Accessing Settings

  1. Right-click the ControlNav system tray icon
  2. Select "Settings" from the context menu
  3. The Settings window will open

Settings Options

Language

Choose your interface language:

ControlNav supports 8 languages:

  • English (US)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Français (French)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)

Changes take effect immediately when you click OK or Apply.

Default Action

Choose what happens when you press Enter:

  • Click - Invokes the control (recommended for buttons, links)
  • Double Click - Toggles or activates (recommended for checkboxes, list items)
  • Focus - Brings keyboard focus to the control (recommended for edit boxes)

You can always use the specific action buttons in the main window regardless of this setting.

Global Shortcut

Keyboard shortcut to activate ControlNav:

  • Default: Ctrl+Alt+L
  • Click in the shortcut key control field
  • Press your desired key combination
  • Click OK or Apply to save

Valid combinations:

  • Must include at least one modifier key (Ctrl, Alt, or Shift)
  • Cannot use modifier keys alone
  • Avoid combinations used by Windows or your screen reader

Common alternatives:

  • Ctrl+Shift+L
  • Alt+Shift+C
  • Ctrl+Alt+F12

Start with Windows

Auto-start option:

  • Check to launch ControlNav automatically when Windows starts
  • Uncheck to start manually
  • Adds/removes entry in Windows Registry Run key

Saving Settings

  • Click OK to save changes and close the window
  • Click Apply to save changes without closing
  • Click Reset to Defaults to restore all settings to factory defaults
  • Click Cancel to discard changes and close

Default Settings

Setting Default Value
Language English (US)
Default Action Click
Shortcut Ctrl+Alt+L
Start with Windows Unchecked

Registry Location

Settings are stored in:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ControlNav\Settings

Values:

  • language (DWORD) - Interface language ID
  • defaultAction (DWORD) - 0=Click, 1=DoubleClick, 2=Focus
  • shortcutKey (REG_SZ) - Global shortcut string (e.g., "Ctrl+Alt+L")

Troubleshooting Settings

Settings Not Persisting

If settings don't save:

  1. Check you have write permissions to the registry
  2. Run ControlNav as administrator once
  3. Try using "Reset to Defaults" and reconfigure

Shortcut Conflicts

If the shortcut doesn't work:

  1. Another application may be using the same shortcut
  2. Close other applications one by one to identify the conflict
  3. Common conflicts: remote desktop tools, macro programs, other accessibility software

Auto-Start Not Working

If ControlNav doesn't start with Windows:

  1. Check Settings - verify "Start with Windows" is checked
  2. Verify registry entry exists:
    • Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Value: ControlNav with path to executable
  3. Check Windows Settings → Apps → Startup

Next Steps