But just what is a hotkey, and how can you make your own?
What Is a Hotkey?
Simply put, a hotkey is an individual key or combination of keys that perform a task when pressed. They generally include a modifier key such as Ctrl or Alt (or Command on a Mac) in conjunction with an alphabet or number key on your keyboard.
While certain hotkeys or shortcuts are OS-specific, a number of hotkeys have become a convention and are now used across the board in computers. You can find a lot of common shortcuts between Windows, Linux, and even macOS.
Some keyboards ship with extra buttons to allow users to create their custom macros or hotkeys using the keyboard’s programming software. However. that’s not a requirement, as you can easily remap keys using programs often built into modern OSes.
How to Make a Custom Hotkey
Depending on your operating system, the exact process of creating a custom hotkey will vary. However, whether you’re using Windows, macOS, or Linux, there are plenty of programs available that let users add custom hotkeys without the need for any additional buttons on their keyboards.
Making a Custom Hotkey on Windows
If you’re using Windows, the simplest way of creating your own hotkeys is using the Keyboard Manager in PowerToys. For those who don’t know, PowerToys is a utility from Microsoft meant to streamline the Windows user experience.
All you have to do is head over to the Keyboard Manager within PowerToys, ensure it’s enabled, and click the Remap a shortcut option to create your custom hotkey. You can set shortcuts for anything from changing the music, volume, and brightness to other global Windows functions and even other keys or shortcuts.
Making a Custom Hotkey on macOS
MacOS offers a built-in way of creating custom hotkeys via the system settings.
Click the Apple menu icon followed by System Settings > Keyboard. Once you’re there, click the Keyboard Shortcut option on the right.
Now you can create your own keyboard shortcuts or hotkeys for either a specific app or all apps on your system. However, keep in mind that macOS only allows hotkeys for existing menu commands.
If you want to create general-purpose hotkeys, you will have to use a program like Automater, Alfred, or Launchy. Alternatively, the macOS Shortcut app is also a great way to get things done quickly.
Making a Custom Hotkey on Linux
Linux also offers a built-in way to create custom hotkeys, but it does vary between Linux distros.
However, as a general example, on Ubuntu, head over to your system settings and click the Devices option followed by Keyboard. Once you’re there, you’ll see a list of all hotkeys on your Linux system. Scroll all the way down and click the + button to create your own hotkey.
Since you’re working on Linux, you’ll have a lot of freedom in terms of what your hotkey can do. You can even run full-blown terminal commands using these hotkeys, in addition to controlling other system aspects.
Productivity and Beyond
Hotkeys can do so much more than just enhance your productivity. If you know your way around a keyboard, you can quickly fix things on your computer without having to reach out for the mouse.
