[BUG] Gnome 49.4 <Super> key instability

[omnitec]

Describe the bug

On GNOME Shell 49.4, enabling V-Shell causes the Super key to stop triggering the Overview after the session fully initializes.

Immediately after login, the Super key works normally.
After a short delay (or after workspace / monitor state changes), the Super key no longer opens the Overview, becoming a no-op.

Disabling V-Shell immediately restores correct Super key behavior.

The issue does not occur on the GDM login screen (where extensions are not loaded).

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Basic debug information

• Did disabling all other extensions help?
  Yes. Disabling V-Shell alone restores correct Super key behavior.

• Did you find conflicting extension?
  No. The issue occurs with only V-Shell enabled.

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To Reproduce

1. Install and enable V-Shell on GNOME 49.4.
2. Log out and log back in.
3. Press the Super key — it works initially.
4. Wait briefly (or trigger workspace/monitor changes).
5. Press Super again.
6. The Overview no longer opens.

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Expected behavior

The Super key should consistently open the GNOME Overview while V-Shell is enabled.

V-Shell should modify workspace layout and behavior without disabling the Super key trigger.

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Screenshots

Not applicable — the issue is behavioral (Super key becomes inactive).

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System:

• OS: openSUSE Tumbleweed (also reproducible on Leap)
• GNOME Shell Version: 49.4
• V-Shell extension version: 49.13.108
• Source of installation: (extension.gnome.org / GitHub)
• Session type: Wayland
• Multi-monitor setup: Yes
• Other installed and enabled extensions:
  • places-menu
  • gtk4-ding
  • weatheroclock
  • freon
    (Issue occurs with only V-Shell enabled.)

---

System log output

Behavior only

[Mitchell-Lint]

I experience this after snapping my windows with Tiling Assistant. Activities, overview, app grid -- all disabled. Things go back to normal after disabling V-Shell.

[G-dH]

When that happen - could you please open Looking Glass (Alt+F2, lg, Enter), execute following lines (one by one):

Main.overview._shown
Main.overview._animationInProgress
Main.overview.visible
Main.overview._coverPane.visible

and show me the results?

[omnitec]

Sorry, .. already updated:

// -- GNOME 49 FIX ---
// GNOME 49 changed internal overview structures.
// Intercepting and blocking the overlay-key signal
// can permanently kill the Super key when GNOME
// rebuilds overview internals.
//
// We no longer block the original handler.
// We also do NOT connect our own overlay-key handler.
//
// GNOME will handle Super normally.
// The extension will still modify workspace layout
// without owning the key event.
//
// if (!this._originalOverlayKeyHandlerId) {
// this._originalOverlayKeyHandlerId = GObject.signal_handler_find(global.display, { signalId: 'overlay-key' });
// if (this._originalOverlayKeyHandlerId !== null) {
// global.display.block_signal_handler(this._originalOverlayKeyHandlerId);
// this._connectOverlayKey();
// }
// }
// console.debug(' OverlayKeyModule - Activated');

    console.debug('  OverlayKeyModule - DeActivated');

---

DeActivating the OverlayKeyModule prevents the problem, ..

[G-dH]

@omnitec ???

[Mitchell-Lint]

[G-dH]

@Mitchell-Lint: Thanks. Could you test the latest version from the repository?

[Mitchell-Lint]

@G-dH Testing it now!

[Mitchell-Lint]

@G-dH The version from the repository seems to have fixed the issue. I'll report back, but with two windows snapped, I'm able to use the Super Key + Activities button.

[omnitec]

@G-dH 49.14 is running and appears to be stable, .. thanks for the quick response!

[jpkc]

I still have this on 49.14 running on Arch Gnome 49 over Wayland.

Session starts ok but after dragging any window to the top-left corner for tiling, both Super key and Top-Left Hot Corner stops working. This happens with vanilla Gnome 49 and vertical-workspaces only (no other extensions enabled).

On my system, both top-left hot and Super key triggers the "Activities Overview", which is default on Gnome 49 and can be seen in Settings > Multitasking > Hot Corner.

I came here looking for a solution, found this report and installed the 49.14 version extension from git repo to no avail. I don't know which version I had before, but it was working flawlessly about two weeks ago.

Please let me know if I can help any further.

Extension Details Report

$ gnome-extensions show vertical-workspaces@G-dH.github.com
vertical-workspaces@G-dH.github.com
Name: V-Shell
Description: Customize your GNOME Shell UX to suit your workflow, whether you like horizontally or vertically stacked workspaces.
Path: /home/arch/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/vertical-workspaces@G-dH.github.com
URL: https://github.com/G-dH/vertical-workspaces
Version: 49.14
Enabled: Yes
State: ACTIVE

System Details Report

Report details

• Date generated: 2026-03-11 12:07:10

Hardware Information:

• Hardware Model: ASUS TUF GAMING B550M-PLUS
• Memory: 32.0 GiB
• Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 5 4500 × 12
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
• Disk Capacity: 9.0 TB

Software Information:

• Firmware Version: 3621
• OS Name: Arch Linux
• OS Build: (null)
• OS Type: 64-bit
• GNOME Version: 49
• Windowing System: Wayland
• Kernel Version: Linux 6.18.13-arch1-1

[G-dH]

@jpkc : Does the issue only occur if you hit the hot corner while tiling, or also when you use the edge or another corner?