# Temporarily disable hotkeys

**URL:** <https://forum.obsidian.md/t/temporarily-disable-hotkeys/107310>\
**Category:** Help\
**Tags:** hotkeys\
**Created:** [October 27, 2025, 9:26am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/temporarily-disable-hotkeys/107310 "2025-10-27T09:26:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ReaderGuy42](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/58f4c7/32.png) [@ReaderGuy42](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/ReaderGuy42)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 9:26am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/temporarily-disable-hotkeys/107310/1 "2025-10-27T09:26:10Z")

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### What I’m trying to do

I’m learning Urdu and using a phonetic keyboard layout on my Linux PC to type when practicing.

Because Urdu uses more letters than the Latin alphabet, there are several layers used, such as with Ctrl, Shift, Alt.

Most notably here is one letter that uses `Ctrl+i` which is difficult for me to type since that’s the hotkey to turn things italic.

Is there a way to temporarily disable all hotkeys, so these don’t get in the way of the Urdu?

I’m open to any suggestions, whether Obsidian specific or Linux/globally.

I’d just appreciate a way that would easy to implement and doesn’t involve remapping all my hotkeys.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![CawlinTeffid](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/cawlinteffid/32/82899_2.png) [@CawlinTeffid](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/CawlinTeffid)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 10:25pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/temporarily-disable-hotkeys/107310/2 "2025-10-29T22:25:39Z")

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As a workaround, you might disable ctrl+i, and when you want to do italics, type `*` or `_` instead. That starts an emphasized (italic) section, and by default will wrap selected text to format it (that feature can be turned off).

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**Author:** ![system](https://forum.obsidian.md/uploads/default/original/3X/b/e/bec35fbd23ab28909bb6bfe62cb32eb82dd34019.png) [@system](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 10:26pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/temporarily-disable-hotkeys/107310/3 "2026-01-27T22:26:33Z")

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Closed on January 27, 2026, 10:26pm UTC

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