Remapping a keyboard key in windows 8.1

Question

How can I remap keyboard keys in windows 8.1? I'm looking for a simple utility which will modify registry and would not require running at startup. I tried sharpkeys but, it does not seem to work in windows 8.1. Any other suggestions? Or a simple how-to tutorial for windows 8.1?

Edit: Keytweak isn't working either. Actually I want to map an unused key to function key (fn) and neither sharpkeys nor keytweak detect the keystroke for that key.

Thanks

Solution 1

I've posted about such a thing in this answer.

To understand what is going on, refer to this tutorial.

Here is the full list of scan codes from Mirosoft so you can alter any key.

Here is the basic breakdown. You are editing a registry key. This particular one is set to map Numlock (45,00) to null (00,00) so that it's key does nothing. For some odd reason, re-mapping 1 key means you need to specify a 2 (02,00,00,00) in positions 17-24. Likewise if you map 2 keys, you'll need to specify 3 (03,00,00,00).

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,00,45,00,00,00,00,00

Solution 2

I recently found a VERY powerful yet FREE, simple and flexible tool that can be used for key remapping and much more. You can also compile your customizations (scripts) and provide them to others without the need to install the tool. It's called AutoHotkey (or AHK) and it seems to have a good user community. See the following 2 sites: http://www.autohotkey.com/ http://ahkscript.org/

Solution 3

Try mapkeyboard http://www.inchwest.com/mapkeyboard.htm I am not sure, if it is able to detect the Fn key.

Solution 4

Sharpkeys worked just fine for me, see my windows 8.1 - mapping 1 key on keyboard to another.

I was trying to assign shift to a particular key on my keyboard. MS Keyboard Layout Creator did not allow me to specify 'shift' as the replacement mapping (or I couldn't figure it out). Sharpkeys did just fine, on Windows 8.1 on an ASUS gaming laptop.

I wonder if what happens is that some manufacturer's keyboard drivers don't play well with Sharpkeys under 8.1, rather than a blanket Sharpkeys does not work.

View more solutions

Comments

[Grishma U]

Problem is I want to remap menu key to this key: imgur.com/yriKWW9 and neither tools can find keybinding for same nor can I figure out from code.

[frozenkoi]

The 'odd' reason is not so odd: blogs.msdn.com/b/oldnewthing/archive/2010/10/12/10074411.asp‌​x

[William]

There are limits with rebinding a key when it comes to modifier keys. Ran into this issue. Also fn can be rebound in some cases like on Thinkpads but can't be used as a modifier unfortunately.