When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Heres how it works.

The Keyboard Manger module of PowerToys can help you with a couple of things.

The first is keyboard remapping - which means changing the function of a particular key.

four cat themed keycaps on a keyboard

There is a related issue with keyboard shortcuts.

So why not create your own shortcuts with Keyboard Manager?

We’ll show you how.

PowerToys Keyboard Manager

Steps

Tools and Requirements

Step by step guide

1.

Enable keyboard manager

With PowerToys installed, you should start by checking that the Keyboard Manager module is enabled.

There are a few ways to do this.

PowerToys Keyboard Manager

The second option is to head to theDashboardsection of PowerToys and fire up the toggle from here.

Beneath theKeysheading, click theRemap a keylink to kick off the keyboard remapper in a new window.

tap the + button and then use the drop-down menu to grab the key that you would to change.

PowerToys Keyboard Manager

In theTo sendcolumn, use the second drop-down menu to select your preferred function.

you might repeat these last steps as many times as you better create all of the remaps you need.

Shortcut remapping options

Another option is to use a keyboard shortcut to mimic pressing a single key.

PowerToys Keyboard Manager

Now use the drop-down menu in theTo sendcolumn to go for the key that the shortcut should activate.

Again, you could repeat this process for as many remappings as you need.

Limiting shortcuts to particular apps

It is also possible to create shortcuts that only work in a particular app.

PowerToys Keyboard Manager

So you could, for instance, want to useCtrl+Eto search in Word rather than the usualCtrl+F.

Stop a key from functioning

Another use of keyboard remapping is to render a particular key useless.

Create a new remap as in steps 3 and 4, but do not select anything in theTo sendcolumn.

PowerToys Keyboard Manager

When you clickOKto save the remap, PowerToys will warn you about the lack of functionality as a reminder.

ClickContinue anywayif you are sure.

Experiment and see what it’s possible for you to come up with!

PowerToys Keyboard Manager

PowerToys Keyboard Manager

PowerToys Keyboard Manager

PowerToys Keyboard Manager