Keyboard Manager Overview

Keyboard Manager

The Keyboard Manager (KBM) is a keyboard remapper that allows a user to redefine keys on their keyboard (ex. swapping the letter A and D) as well as shortcuts (Ctrl+C to +C). You can use these remappings as long as KBM is enabled and PowerToys is running in the background. Below is an example of using keys and shortcuts that were remapped:

Note: there are some keys/OS reserved shortcuts we cannot override.

1. Get Started  

1.1 General Settings

To create mappings with Keyboard Manager, you have the option of launching either the Remap Keyboard UI by clicking the Remap a Key button or Remap Shortcuts UI by clicking the Remap a shortcut button.

1.2 Remap Keys

To remap a key to another key, click the Remap a Key button to launch the Remap Keyboard UI. When first launched, you are met with no predefined mappings and must click the + button to add a new remap. From there, select the key whose output you want to change as the “Key” and then keys new output as the “Mapped To”. For example, if you want to press A and have B appear, Key A would be your “Key” and Key B would be your “Mapped To" key. If you want to swap keys, add another remapping with Key B as your "Key" and Key A as your "Mapped To".

1.2.1 Key to Shortcut

To remap a key to a shortcut, you are now able to enter a shortcut in the second column. For example, if you want physically press "C" and that result in "Ctrl + V", "C" would be in your Key column and "Ctrl + V" in your second column. Remember, any mappings will be maintained even if part of a larger shortcut. This means pressing "Win + C" would result in "Win + Ctrl + V" (since C is mapped to "Ctrl + V")

1.3 Remap Shortcuts

To change how you invoke a particular shortcut, click the Remap a shortcut button to launch the Remap Shortcuts UI. When first launched, you are met with no predefined mappings and must click the + button to add a new remap. The "Shortcut" is the shortcut you want to change and the "Mapped To" is the shortcut you want to change it to. Ex. If you want Ctrl+C to paste, Ctrl+C is the "Shortcut" and Ctrl+V is the "Mapped To". Here are a few rules to shortcuts as you get started (these rules only apply on the Shortcut column):

• Shortcuts must begin with a modifier key (Ctrl, Shift, Alt, )
• Shortcuts must end with an action key (all non-modifier keys)
• Shortcuts cannot be longer than 3 keys

1.2.1 Shortcut to Key

To remap a shortcut to a key, you are now able to enter a single action key in the second column. For example, if you want physically press "Win + D" and that result in "Alt", "Win + D" would be in your first column and "Alt" in your second column. Remember, any mappings will be maintained even if part of a larger shortcut. This means pressing "Win + D + A" would result in "Alt + A" (since "Win + D" is mapped to "Alt").

1.2.2 App-specific shortcuts

KBM introduced app-specific shortcuts which means you can now remap shortcuts (modifier(s) + action key) in specific apps. If you've been frustrated that searching your inbox in Outlook is "Ctrl + E" and you want to instead use "Ctrl + F", you can enter the remapping and enter "outlook" as your "Target App"! Remember, the KBM app will only accept process-names not application names, so for Microsoft Edge that would be "msedge" not Microsoft Edge.

Here are a few handy process names for popular apps! If you want to find a process name, open powershell and enter the command "get-process" or terminal and enter the command "tasklist". This will result in a list of all open applications process names.

Application	Process name
Microsoft Edge	msedge.exe
OneNote	onenote.exe
Outlook	outlook.exe
Teams	Teams.exe
Adobe Photoshop	Photoshop.exe
File Explorer	explorer.exe
Spotify Music	spotify.exe
Google Chrome	chrome.exe
Excel	excel.exe
Word	winword.exe
Powerpoint	powerpnt.exe

1.4 Keys that cannot be remapped:

• +L (Locking your computer) and Ctrl+Alt+ Del cannot be remapped as they are reserved by the Windows OS.
• The Fn key itself cannot be remapped (in most cases) but the F1-24 can be mapped.

1.5 Selecting the keys: Drop down + Type Key / Type Shortcut feature

To select a key in the remap or shortcut UI, you can use either the Type Key button or the drop downs. Once you click the Type Key / Shortcut button a dialogue will pop up. From here, type the key/shortcut using your keyboard. Once you’re satisfied with the output, hold Enter to continue. If you’d like to leave the dialogue, hold the Esc button. For the drop downs, you can search with the key name and additional drop downs will appear as you progress. However, you can not use the type-key feature while on the drop down.

1.6 Orphaning Keys

Orphaning a key means that you mapped it to another key and no longer have anything mapped to it. (Ex. If I map A -> B, I no longer have a key on my keyboard that results in A) To fix this, create another remap with that key as the New Key. We have created a warning to ensure you don't do this by accident.

2. Frequently Asked Questions

• Question: I remapped the wrong keys, and I want to stop it quickly. How can I do that?

  • You can simply disable KBM from the settings or you can close PowerToys. For the remappings to work PowerToys must be running in the background and KBM must be enabled.

• Question: Can I use Keyboard Manager at my log-in screen?

  • No, Keyboard Manager is only available when PowerToys is running and doesn’t work on any password screen, including Run As Admin.

• Question: Do I have to turn off my computer for the remapping to take effect?

  • No, as of now, all you need to do is press apply.

• Question: Where are the Mac/Linux profiles?

  • This is the beta release; we will have these features in our V1

• Question: Will this work on video games?

  • It depends on how the game accesses your keys. Certain keyboard APIs do not work with Keyboard Manager.

• Question: Does this work if I change my input language? How?

  • Yes it will. Right now if you remap A to B on English (US) keyboard and then the switch language to French, then typing A on the French keyboard (i.e. Q on the English US physical keyboard) would result in B, this is consistent with how Windows handles multilingual input.

3. Trouble shooting if remappings are not working:

• Could be one of the following issues:

  • Run As Admin: Remappings will not work on an app / window if that window is running as an admin (elevated) and PowerToys itself is not running as admin. Try running PowerToys as an administrator.
  • Not Intercepting Keys: KBM intercepts keyboard hooks to remap your keys. Some apps that also do this can interfere with Keyboard Manager, to fix this go to the Settings and Disable then Re-Enable Keyboard manager.

4. Known Issues

• Caps light indicator not toggling correctly
• Remaps not working for FancyZones and Shortcut Guide

For a list of all known issues/suggestions, check it out here.