From aa46b03f2d0d9954afa5c45fb8ecf8a9a2659c30 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: zoicware <118035521+zoicware@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:50:02 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] fix branded choice key not applying (blocked by user choice
 driver)

---
 RemoveWindowsAi.ps1 | 8 ++++++--
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/RemoveWindowsAi.ps1 b/RemoveWindowsAi.ps1
index 0451cf4..ddd47ea 100644
--- a/RemoveWindowsAi.ps1
+++ b/RemoveWindowsAi.ps1
@@ -732,9 +732,13 @@ function Disable-Registry-Keys {
     Reg.exe add 'HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides\8\502943886' /v 'EnabledState' /t REG_DWORD /d @('1', '0')[$revert] /f *>$null
     #disable ask copilot (taskbar search)
     Reg.exe add 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced' /v 'TaskbarCompanion' /t REG_DWORD /d @('0', '1')[$revert] /f *>$null
-    Reg.exe add 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BrandedKey' /v 'BrandedKeyChoiceType' /t REG_SZ /d @('Search', 'App')[$revert] /f *>$null
-    Reg.exe add 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BrandedKey' /v 'AppAumid' /t REG_SZ /d @(' ', 'Microsoft.Copilot_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App')[$revert] /f *>$null
+    #this branded key is blocked by the user choice driver too bad ms was very lazy and hardcoded a list of exe's not allowed to edit this key
+    #workaround for any key blocked by user choice driver: rename reg.exe to something else
+    Copy-Item (Get-Command reg.exe).Source .\reg1.exe -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+    & .\reg1.exe add 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BrandedKey' /v 'BrandedKeyChoiceType' /t REG_SZ /d @('Search', 'App')[$revert] /f *>$null
+    & .\reg1.exe add 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BrandedKey' /v 'AppAumid' /t REG_SZ /d @(' ', 'Microsoft.Copilot_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App')[$revert] /f *>$null
     Reg.exe add 'HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CopilotKey' /v 'SetCopilotHardwareKey' /t REG_SZ /d @(' ', 'Microsoft.Copilot_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App')[$revert] /f *>$null
+    Remove-Item .\reg1.exe -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
     #disable recall customized homepage 
     Reg.exe add 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SettingSync\WindowsSettingHandlers' /v 'A9HomeContentEnabled' /t REG_DWORD /d @('0', '1')[$revert] /f *>$null
     #disable typing data harvesting for ai training