How to Re-map the Keys on your Computer Keyboard with the Free Program KeyTweak

Recently my husband bought me a Dell Mini. I love this netbook. I use it constantly for writing. But it had one problem when it first arrived: The keyboard layout has the Enter key where the quote/apostrophe key usually is. The quote key is way down by the arrow keys. This is fine for programmers, who use semicolons constantly. However, that keyboard configuration is death for touch-typist fiction writers. What to do?
Enter KeyTweak, the free program you can use to remap your computer keyboard.
Here's how:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer running Windows
• Internet connection

1. LOOK AT YOUR KEYBOARD. Which keys are giving you trouble? A nine-fingered or one-handed person might want the vowels arranged in a different way. And a practical joker might want all the keys arranged in a random fashion...just for April Fools Day... Figure out which keys you want exchanged.

2. 
   Download KeyTweak

   DOWNLOAD the free program KeyTweak from http://webpages.charter.net/krumsick/ . The download link is at the top of the page. Download to your computer and and click on it (it's the little keyboard icon) to start the installation.

3. Go to your START menu and start KeyTweak.

4. 

   Look at the keyboard map on the program screen. Hey, what's this? The keys have numbers on them, not letters. Soo... Click one.

5. 

   KeyTweak says that Key 35 is currently mapped to G.

6. 

   Let's make it a Q. Select Q from the dropdown menu.

7. 

   Now click "Remap Key." You'll see the pending change in the Pending Changes box.
   Click "Apply". Then restart your computer.

8. Qood thinq I don't use the Q or (jee) key as often as some others, or I would have had a hard time finishinq this quide.
   
   To undo the chanqes, reopen the proqram KeyTweak and click the "Restore All Defaults" key near the top of the proqram window. Then restart your computer. Qot it? Qood!

Tips & Warnings

• Notice that I have two keys mapped to the same letter. Just thouqht I'd point that out... If you want many keys remapped, as in the case of the faster, more ergonomically-friendly Dvorak keyboard layout, or the one-handed layout, you will want to install the control panel option for that layout. See the upcoming article on this.

[Smireles]

on 2/25/2009 Detailed instructions! I had no idea this could be done.

[whoodo]

on 2/25/2009 Good information.

[LuckyAngel]

on 2/25/2009 Detailed instruction, well written. Now I know!

[woot]

on 2/25/2009 I never knew you could do this. I think I'll stay away from you on April Fools Day!

[robinc]

on 2/24/2009 Good to know. I like your sense of humor here, too! 5*