Computer

Has your keyboard started to malfunction? Fix it with this program

Users who usually spend many hours in front of the computer, once they have become accustomed to a type of keyboard, they have a hard time changing it. Some, in fact, opt for old keyboards, like the ones IBM made for the first PCs to hit the market. These keyboards do not incorporate the Windows key since it was not incorporated until Windows 95 was launched on the market. Thanks to SharpKeys, any other key on the keyboard can be configured to act as the Windows key.

What is SharpKeys?

With this non-descript name we find one of the best applications currently available for remap the operation of any key from any keyboard, whether it’s the latest generation or older than Methuselah, as long as the computer recognizes it. If what we want is to change the operation of a key so that it does another function, it is not necessary to resort to macro applications, nor is it even necessary to use the applications that some keyboards include.

Also, it works with any keyboard, including keyboards that don’t include the Windows key that manufacturers started adding with the release of Windows 95 as I mentioned above, as long as they are recognized by Windows.

SharpKeys

This application is ideal for changing the behavior of the Print Screen key if it has stopped working, of the Esc screen to do something else, the behavior of all the keys on the numeric keypad on the right section of the keyboard.

Unlike other apps that run in the background to deliver their feature, SharpKeys modifies the windows registry to add the function to the key that we want, in this way, it is not necessary to open it every time we start Windows. In fact, once we have remapped the keys we want, we can delete it from our device.

What SharpKeys offers us

Changing the behavior of any key on any keyboard with SharpKeys is as simple as following the steps below. To check the versatility that this application offers us, in this example, we are going to show you how we can add the Win key to a keyboard that lacks itreplacing the behavior of the <> key on the keyboard.

The first time we download and start the application, an interface will be displayed that, right off the bat, can become complex if we are not very clear about what we are looking for.

In the blank box at the top, the keys that we have reassigned are shown, keys that will change their function when we click on the button Write to Registry. At the bottom, we can add, edit or delete the reassignments before adding them to the record. Just below these options, we can load or save the key reassignments to be able to use them again in case of formatting the computer if we want to use them again.

SharpKeys

To reassign a key, we must click on Add. A window will open where we must first select the key to which we want to change the function. In our case, as I mentioned, we are going to remap the <> key to work as the Windows key.

Once we have selected the <> key in the column Map this keywe go to the column To this key and select the Left Windows option (so that it does the function of the Win key on the right side of the keyboard). And click on Ok.

SharpKeys

Next, we click on the button Save keys for save this setting in the form of a file to have it on hand when we format the computer or if we want to use the same keyboard on another computer with the same configuration.

Once we have remapped the operation of the <> key so that it does the Win key function, we click on Write to Registry. Next, we can close the application by pressing the Close button. Now, we just have to restart the computer so that Windows takes note of the change. The next time we log in, the <> key will work as the Win key.

If we want to use the <> symbols, we must reassign it to another key by performing the same steps that we have shown you above.

How to download it

To download SharpKeys, we must do it through its website, which we can access by clicking on the following link and from GitHub. In this link, we find two versions: .zip and .msi. The application requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0. If it is not installed, it will be downloaded automatically.

It is recommended to download the .msi version since it is a more modern version and, in addition, it allows us to save the configuration that we have previously established. In this way, if we format the computer, we can reassign the keys that we had previously reassigned, loading backup.

There is also the possibility to download the application directly from the Microsoft Store, so that all the new updates that the application receives are installed automatically without the need to download the application again from GitHub or its website.

sharpkeys
sharpkeys

Another option when installing it is to use the command line through CMD using the winget command

[coce]winget install sharpkeys [/code]

Worth?

Definitely. SharpKeys is one of the best applications available on the internet to remap the operation of any key on any keyboard, including the multimedia keys. It doesn’t include configuration options because you really don’t need any. The application does what it promises, it does not work in the background so it does not consume resources and it is compatible from Windows 7 onwards.

Alternatives

If for any reason, we haven’t quite got hold of the interface of this application, we can try one of the alternatives that we show you below.

  • KeyTweak. Another interesting application to take into account to remap the operation of any key that has stopped working, an application compatible from Windows XP onwards and available for download completely free of charge from its website.
  • Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator. As we can see, Microsoft is behind this application, an application compatible from Windows XP onwards and that requires Microsoft .NET Framework 1.0. The download is this application is free and is available from the Microsoft website through the following link.

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