Windows7How

Tweak your Keyboard Keys with KeyTweak

November 18, 2009

Many features in Microsoft’s Windows 7 are very useful for the ‘super-typists’ out there, but who would turn down the ability to customize the way the keys on your keyboard are mapped? No one would, to put it simply. The people who will make the most use of such a program are the power users who also fall in with the well-skilled typists. They always like having some extra edge which makes their work easier, and they should have that. Well, with KeyTweak, anyone can change the keyboard layout without having to create your own – not recommended.

KeyTweak will let you re-map your keyboard keys in almost any way you can imagine. There are some things it cannot do, though. It cannot combine keys and map them to a single keystroke. For instance, this means that you cannot have one key perform Ctrl + B to bold your text. It also cannot change the Function or other special keys on a notebook PC. To make the changes, KeyTweak does require a reboot to your system and all changes are global – thus, all users of the computer must live with the changes. Make sure to take note of those limitations and you should have no problems with this small, simple and useful application.

First of all, you need to get a copy of the application to install. Head over to the KeyTweak website and download the latest build. Once downloaded, double-click and install the application. As with most programs you will find it located in your Start menu; the app will be in the KeyTweak folder on that menu.

Once you do have it open, you will see a keyboard layout surrounded by the Remapping area, a Keyboard Control section, Specialty Buttons and a window for Pending Changes. We will start at the top and go through a remap process to see how each section works with the others.

The Remapping section is located at the top of the KeyTweak window (above and including the ‘virtual’ keyboard layout) and it will list all previously remapped keys. Next to it will be the Restore Defaults button – to use if you need to start over – and a Raw Map button – which shows the raw data changes made to your Windows Registry and is really not useful unless you regularly study your operating system Registry.

To remap a key, click on the key you wish to remap on the ‘virtual’ keyboard layout on the KeyTweak window. Once you do this, the key number (its numerical mapping for the operating system) will show up in the Keyboard Controls section. Now that you have your key selected, there will be a drop-down list next to your selected key. Click on that drop down list and choose which key you wish to remap to this selected key. The next step is rather intuitive as a button next to the drop-down list reads “Remap Key.” Click on that and the remapping selection will appear in the Pending Changes window. You will also see two other buttons next to the Remap Key; they are the Restore Default, which restores the keys default mapping, and the Disable Key button, which – you know this – disables your selected key. Once you have chosen what you want to do with your selected key, click on the Apply button at the bottom of the KeyTweak window. Of course, as stated above, you will need to reboot the system for the changes to take effect.

That is amazingly simple; it only takes a few minutes for even the most novice computer operator to make changes to their keyboard. However, KeyTweak also provides a Full Teach Mode and a Half Teach Mode. These are really just another way to accomplish the same task. You can try them if you like, but I am rather sure you will want to stick with the default procedure as it is quicker and just as simple.

You probably noticed that we have not touched the Specialty Buttons section of KeyTweak. This is because the use of this area will vary greatly. Only if your keyboard – the one you type your e-mails on – has the buttons shown here. If it does, you can even remap those keys to other keys. That is very useful for those fancy keyboards with all of those instant web-browsing buttons and such.

This application allows you to do something which would usually require hacking into the hidden files that make up your operating system to accomplish. If you have never done that before, it is best that you don’t; it can get very messy. KeyTweak is useful for almost anyone who uses a computer and wished that their keyboard had a different layout – or, it can simply be used to help you be a little more creative…either way, KeyTweak can do it for you…and it’s free!

Filed under: Windows 7 Tweaks, software

Tags: bold, change keyboard keys, change keyboard layout, free, free application, free software, hacking, hidden files, keystroke, keytweak, remapping, start menu, typist, windows 7 tweak