How to remap keys on a Windows 7 keyboard: step-by-step instruction

Most conventional PS / 2 keyboards that connect to fixed terminals or laptops come with standard settings. Even with a breakdown of equipment, you can afford to buy a new keyboard, because it costs a penny. With laptops, the situation is somewhat more complicated. Replacing the keyboard - the pleasure is not cheap. Therefore, instead of buying it, you have to solve the problem of how to reassign keys on the keyboard of Windows 7 or another system, if some buttons do not work. There are several ways to do this. But not all of them are very simple. At least, in own means of Windows-systems it is possible to get confused. But for the completeness of the solution we consider all methods.

Why do I need to reassign keys?

Let's start with laptops. The main problem is that different manufacturers add additional keys to the keyboards or set up standard commands for executing different commands and running processes.

A particularly strong difference is felt when using Windows on Apple's computer devices. But even on Windows systems, some buttons and keys are not used by many users for a long time (for example, the same button CapsLock, which many when typing press randomly). It is in such situations that you have to solve the problem of how to reassign keys on the Windows 7 keyboard on a laptop or on a stationary terminal, or turn off some buttons completely. Needless to say, the proposed solutions can be used with non-working keys, and some even specially "sharpen" their keyboards for more comfortable control of processes in modern computer games.

How to reassign keys on a Windows 7 keyboard without third-party programs?

First of all, let's look at the methodology offered by the developer of Windows-systems. To do this, you need to download a small applet, designed to control the keyboard and pointing device (mouse) on the Microsoft website.

How to reassign keys on a Windows 7 keyboard using this application? Nothing is easier! After starting the program in the list, you need to select your device and use the basic parameters. A list of the current settings appears. To change the command assignment to a specific key, you should use the display of all commands. After selecting the button and the desired command, you just need to save the current setting. If you want to deactivate the button, use the disable button / key option.

How to remap keys on a Windows 7 keyboard: Registry

You can not use the above-mentioned applet. By and large, the question of how to reassign the keys on the Windows 7 keyboard through the registry can also be solved. But here there can be some difficulties, because for each key you need to know its scan-code in hexadecimal.

So, first, the regedit command calls the Registry Editor (required with administrator rights), then the HKLM branch is moved through the SYSTEM and CurrentControlSet directories to the Keyboard Layout directory. To replace one code with another, you need to create a new string parameter in the right window using the PCM menu in the right window, specifying the name of the Scancode Map for it, then enter the editing window, and in the window, enter first the scan code of the key, the function of which will be executed after the reassignment, Then enter the code for the new key.

For example, to reassign a space to the right Alt, the combination looks like this: 0E 00 38 E0. To disable the key (for example, take CapsLock), the combination must begin with four zeros and have the form 00 00 3A 00. As already understood, the process is quite laborious, because you need to know not only the codes and the order of their input. Reassignment can be done only once, so you'll have to create many new string parameters.

MapKeyboard application

In order not to deal with such complicated procedures and decide how to re-assign keys on the Windows 7 keyboard in a simpler way, it is better to use some of the utilities intended for this. One of these is a small MapKeyboard program.

After launching the application, a virtual keyboard appears. The first step is to select a button or key whose function or symbol will be reassigned, then a new key is selected from the scrollable list to the right of the Remap selected key row, and then the button for confirming the Save layout action is pressed. Next, notification of the reassignment will follow, and the changes will be activated only after a full restart of the computer.

The SharpKeys program

Another simple program is SharpKeys. Alas, if you decide how to re-assign keys to the keyboard of Windows 7, Fn-button in particular, it can not be used. It is better to use other solutions (the program does not recognize this key, and when changing Cyrillic letters, you need to use similar keys in the Latin layout).

Here the question of how to remap keys on the keyboard of Windows 7, is solved just as easily. First, use the Add Add button, then select the "reassignable" button, and in the list on the right - a new action or symbol (the topmost line Turn Key Off is used for complete disabling). When the actions are completed, the Write To Registry button is pressed, and a reboot should be performed.

Applet MKey

Finally, another very interesting utility called MKey or Media Key. After installation, it will be in the system tray.

In the running program, the add button is pressed, then the key to be remapped is marked, then the emulation string is marked, and a new button is selected from the list below. Now it remains to press the button with the image of the floppy disk at the very bottom to save the changes.

By the way, this program allows not only to re-assign individual buttons. With its help you can create your own "hot" combinations, including combinations with the Fn key, and also configure any manipulators, gamepads and other similar equipment.

Instead of an afterword

It remains to find out the most important question: what exactly do you prefer to install such settings? It seems that most users will agree that using the registry editor is quite a troublesome task. And from the considered programs, perhaps, it is best to choose MKey, since the application has more possibilities in comparison with the first two applets and is completely Russified. By the way, please note that before using any of the methods presented, it is recommended that you first create a recovery point for an emergency. But in any program even after the reassignment, you can set the default parameters by default by completely resetting the settings.

And, of course, only the most popular methods and programs were considered here, as there are a lot of such applications on the computer software market today. But they all work on similar principles, and the interface does not differ much.