How to Customize Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 11

Customizing keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11 can greatly enhance your productivity by allowing you to tailor your workflow to your specific needs. While Windows 11 does not natively support changing all system-wide shortcuts, you can customize certain shortcuts and use third-party tools to create new ones. This guide will walk you through the steps to customize keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11.

Introduction

Custom keyboard shortcuts can make your computing experience more efficient by providing quick access to frequently used functions, applications, and commands. Windows 11 offers some built-in customization options, and for more advanced needs, third-party tools like AutoHotkey can be used. This guide will show you how to customize keyboard shortcuts using both native settings and third-party applications.

Method 1: Customize Shortcuts Using Built-in Settings

Change Keyboard Layout Shortcuts

  1. Open Settings: Click on the Start menu (Windows icon) and select the Settings icon (gear icon). Alternatively, press Win + I to open the Settings app directly.
  2. Navigate to Time & Language: In the Settings app, click on Time & language in the left-hand sidebar.
  3. Open Typing settings: Click on Typing under the Time & language section.
  4. Advanced keyboard settings: Scroll down and click on Advanced keyboard settings.
  5. Input language hotkeys: Click on Language bar options under Switching input methods. This will open the Text Services and Input Languages window.
  6. Change Key Sequence: Under the Advanced Key Settings tab, select the action you want to change (e.g., "Between input languages") and click Change Key Sequence. Choose your preferred key sequence and click OK.

Customize Snipping Tool Shortcuts

  1. Open Settings: Click on the Start menu and select the Settings icon.
  2. Navigate to Accessibility: In the Settings app, click on Accessibility in the left-hand sidebar.
  3. Open Keyboard settings: Scroll down and click on Keyboard under the Interaction section.
  4. Enable Print Screen shortcut: Toggle on the Use the Print screen button to open screen snipping option.

Method 2: Customize Shortcuts Using AutoHotkey

AutoHotkey is a powerful scripting language for Windows that allows you to create custom keyboard shortcuts for various tasks.

Step 1: Download and Install AutoHotkey

  1. Visit the AutoHotkey website: Go to autohotkey.com.
  2. Download AutoHotkey: Click on the Download button and follow the instructions to install AutoHotkey on your computer.

Step 2: Create a Script

  1. Open Notepad: Open Notepad or any text editor.
  2. Write a script: Enter the script for your custom shortcut. For example, to create a shortcut that opens Notepad with Ctrl + Alt + N, write: 
    ^!n::Run Notepad
  3. Save the script: Save the file with a .ahk extension, such as CustomShortcuts.ahk.

Step 3: Run the Script

  1. Run the script: Double-click the .ahk file you created to run the script. Your custom shortcut will now be active.
  2. Start with Windows: To make the script run automatically when Windows starts, create a shortcut to the .ahk file and place it in the Startup folder (Win + R, type shell:startup, and press Enter).

Method 3: Customize Shortcuts in Specific Applications

Microsoft Office

  1. Open an Office application: Open Microsoft Word, Excel, or another Office application.
  2. Access Options: Click on File > Options.
  3. Customize Ribbon: In the Options window, click on Customize Ribbon.
  4. Keyboard shortcuts: Click on the Customize button next to Keyboard shortcuts at the bottom of the window.
  5. Assign new shortcuts: In the Customize Keyboard window, select a category, choose a command, and assign a new shortcut key. Click Assign and then Close.

Adobe Photoshop

  1. Open Photoshop: Open Adobe Photoshop.
  2. Access Keyboard Shortcuts: Click on Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts.
  3. Customize shortcuts: In the Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus window, select a shortcut set and customize the shortcuts as needed. Click OK to save your changes.

Additional Tips

  • Backup Shortcuts: If you customize shortcuts extensively, consider backing up your shortcut settings in applications that support exporting and importing shortcut configurations.
  • Documentation: Refer to the documentation of specific applications to learn more about customizing keyboard shortcuts within those programs.

Conclusion

You have successfully learned how to customize keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11 using built-in settings, AutoHotkey, and specific application settings. Customizing your keyboard shortcuts can enhance your productivity and streamline your workflow, making it easier to perform tasks quickly and efficiently. Experiment with different methods to find the best configuration that suits your needs.


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