Troubleshooting Guide

Solutions to common issues and problems with ControlNav.

Installation Issues

Windows Defender SmartScreen Warning

Problem: SmartScreen blocks the application

Solution:

  1. Click "More info" on the warning window
  2. Click "Run anyway"
  3. This is normal for new applications without widespread download history

ControlNav Won't Start

Problem: Application doesn't launch

Solution:

  1. Ensure you're running 64-bit Windows 10 or later
  2. Check if another instance is already running (look in system tray)
  3. Try right-clicking and selecting "Run as administrator"

Shortcut Issues

Shortcut Doesn't Work

Problem: Ctrl+Alt+L doesn't activate ControlNav

Possible Causes and Solutions:

  1. Conflicting Application

    • Another application is using the same shortcut
    • Close other applications one by one to identify the conflict
    • Common conflicts: remote desktop tools, macro programs, other accessibility software

  2. ControlNav Not Running

    • Check if ControlNav icon is in the system tray
    • If not, launch ControlNav

  3. Shortcut Blocked by Fullscreen App

    • Some fullscreen applications block global shortcuts
    • Try switching to windowed mode

Changing the Shortcut

  1. Right-click the system tray icon
  2. Select "Settings"
  3. Click in the shortcut key control field
  4. Press your desired key combination
  5. Click OK or Apply

Control List Issues

No Controls Found

Problem: Control list is empty

Possible Causes:

  1. Application uses unsupported UI framework

    • Some applications don't support Windows UI Automation
    • Tkinter apps have no accessibility support
    • Java Swing apps need Java Access Bridge (JAB) enabled
    • See Application Compatibility for details

  2. Wrong window selected

    • ControlNav captured a splash screen or background window
    • Try activating from the main application window

  3. Administrative Application

    • Application running as administrator, ControlNav is not
    • Restart ControlNav as administrator

  4. Broken UIA tree

    • Some frameworks (like wxPython) have broken UIA trees
    • ControlNav v1.1.2+ includes HWND fallback for these cases
    • Ensure you're running the latest version

Controls Not Responding to Actions

Problem: Click/Focus doesn't work on selected control

Solutions:

  1. Try different action type

    • Some controls don't support Click
    • Try Focus or Double Click instead

  2. Custom control implementation

    • Application may have non-standard control implementation
    • Try using Focus, then keyboard to interact

  3. Disabled control

    • Control may be disabled in the application
    • ControlNav shows all controls, including disabled ones

Slow Control Loading

Problem: Controls take a long time to appear

Explanation:

  • Large applications with hundreds of controls take longer to enumerate
  • ControlNav uses lazy loading - controls appear progressively
  • You can start filtering immediately while more controls load

Tips:

  • Type in the search box while controls load to filter early
  • Complex applications (like Microsoft Office) may have many controls

Search Filter Issues

Filter Not Working

Problem: Typing doesn't filter the list

Solution:

  1. Ensure focus is in the filter box (it should have focus by default)
  2. Clear the box (Ctrl+A, then Delete)
  3. Try typing again

Too Many/Too Few Results

Problem: Filter shows unexpected results

Tips:

  • Search is case-insensitive
  • Search matches partial words ("sav" matches "Save As")
  • Text and Window controls are always filtered out

Screen Reader Issues

Screen Reader Not Announcing Changes

Problem: JAWS/NVDA/Narrator doesn't announce selections

Solutions:

  1. Restart Screen Reader

    • Exit and restart your screen reader
    • Try ControlNav again

  2. Update Screen Reader

    • Ensure you have the latest version
    • NVDA 2019.3 or later recommended

  3. Check Screen Reader Settings

    • Enable "Announce selection changes"
    • Enable "Announce list items"

Screen Reader and Elevated Applications

Problem: ControlNav can't access controls in applications running as administrator

Explanation: Windows User Interface Privilege Isolation (UIPI) prevents non-elevated processes from accessing elevated window controls.

Solution: Run ControlNav as administrator to access elevated applications.

Dark Mode Issues

Dark Mode Not Applying

Problem: ControlNav appears in light mode despite dark Windows theme

Solution:

  1. Check Windows Settings → Personalization → Colors → "Choose your default app mode"
  2. Restart ControlNav after changing the theme
  3. Dark mode requires Windows 10 version 1809 or later

Performance Issues

ControlNav Uses Too Much Memory

Problem: High memory usage

Note: ControlNav typically uses less than 10 MB of RAM. If you see higher usage:

  1. Close and reopen ControlNav
  2. Report if persistent high memory usage occurs

Settings Issues

Settings Not Saving

Problem: Changes in Settings window don't persist

Solutions:

  1. Click OK or Apply - Make sure you're clicking OK or Apply, not Cancel
  2. Registry Access - Run ControlNav as administrator once to create registry keys
  3. Reset Settings - Use "Reset to Defaults" button and reconfigure

Auto-Start Not Working

Problem: ControlNav doesn't start with Windows

Solutions:

  1. Check Settings

    • Open Settings window
    • Verify "Start with Windows" is checked
    • Click OK to save

  2. Verify Registry

    • Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Value: ControlNav should point to exe path

  3. Windows Startup Settings

    • Windows Settings → Apps → Startup
    • Find ControlNav and enable it

Getting Help

Still Having Problems?

  1. Check GitHub Issues

    • Search existing issues for your problem
    • Someone may have already found a solution

  2. Report a Bug

    • Create a new GitHub issue
    • Include:
      • Windows version (run winver)
      • ControlNav version (from About window)
      • Screen reader name and version (if applicable)
      • Target application name
      • Steps to reproduce the issue
      • Any error messages

  3. Contact Support

    • Visit the ControlNav website
    • Use the contact form for direct support

Next Steps