

- MAC KEYBOARD REMAPPER HOW TO
- MAC KEYBOARD REMAPPER DRIVER
- MAC KEYBOARD REMAPPER CODE
- MAC KEYBOARD REMAPPER WINDOWS
Left column is 32-bit HID function key code that consists of upper 16-bit HID page number (key group), lower 16-bit HID usage number (individual key code). Other keyboards can produce different output. Comments starting with # added by me for extra readability. NOTE: Output above is for 1st gen Apple Magic Keyboard. $ ioreg -l |grep FnFunctionUsageMap |grep -Eo 0x +,0x + Internally, remapKey applies the mapping according to FnFunctionUsageMap table exposed by the attached USB HID compatible keyboard. Everything is driven by the magic HID page and usage numbers - expressed with 64-bit (or 32-bit) codes. Interestingly, both custom remapping and function key mapping with fn happens essentially in the same place in IOHIDKeyboardFilter.mm IOHIDKeyboardFilter::remapKey. There is no system UI that exposes this custom keyboard remapping feature though. I believe this feature exists thanks to some smart Apple engineers who are power-users at the same time and realize that a simple System Preferences switch may be not enough for everyone.
MAC KEYBOARD REMAPPER DRIVER
Additionally, this driver is open-source, so the underlying details are freely accessible reading IOHIDKeyboardFilter.mm source code. Everything is a part of IOHIDFamily driver and is nicely described by a Tech Note. MacOS since 10.12 Sierra provides quite interesting low-level built-in feature allowing to create custom keyboard remapping without a need for additional software. Therefore, without further ado, I started to look for some alternatives. So far I relied on my own keyremapd solution, but with recent macOS releases it began to act in a quite erratic way. keyremapd of mine.Īll of them use rather tricky macOS system level event hooks, and obviously require some helper application running in the background.

There are also some programs that let you remap other individual keys e.g. Function Flip or making function key behavior application specific e.g. There are some macOS applications addressing this, e.g. Unfortunately, there is no switch that lets you adjust this behavior individually for the each function key. keys as standard function keys” switch, that makes standard function key behavior primary and media/OS behavior secondary, hence requiring fn modifier. This is not a problem when working with native macOS apps, rarely using F1- F12, but becomes cumbersome when using some cross platform software, or interacting remotely with the other operating systems and applications relying a lot on standard function keys.įn behavior can be reversed with System Preferences “Use F1, F2, etc. Standard function keys are accessible holding fn modifier.
MAC KEYBOARD REMAPPER HOW TO
Remaps right ⌘ to ⌥ option, so Mac letter modifier is at same place as on PC/Windows keyboard, closer to the space key and much easier reachable with the right thumb.įigure 1: Apple Magic Keyboard function keys depicted in How to use the function keys on your Mac.īy default on macOS, Apple keyboard function keys act as media/OS control keys that modify screen brightness, volume, etc.Keeps F1 and F2 for brightness adjustment, but leaves other function keys accessible directly, without fn,.Yes, I am quite demanding.Īll what I want could be expressed by the following Mac key remapping, that: Finally, on top of that I often type Polish text, which requires using right alt that is hardly reachable with the right thumb as it is farther right than on PC/Windows keyboard. In the same time, I want my screen brightness to be adjustable on my Mac with a single key press. I use function key shortcuts quite a lot in various file managers and programming IDEs.

MAC KEYBOARD REMAPPER WINDOWS
I use Mac at home, Windows at work and I often interact with Linux. Yet it is available to everyone via simple hidutil built-in command controlling IOHIDFamily driver, requiring no hardware modifications or tampering with System Integrity Protection. This feature is not exposed anywhere in the system UI. Starting with 10.12 Sierra, macOS comes with the hidden and surprisingly flexible feature allowing remapping arbitrary keyboard keys. MacOS function key remapping with hidutil Nov 16, 2019
