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Cover image for Productivity tip: Remapping caps lock to hyper key
Jules Libert
Jules Libert

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Productivity tip: Remapping caps lock to hyper key

Here's a tip that has been a huge time-saver for me on MacOS. I only discovered it recently, but it's generally well-known among self-respecting Vim developers: remapping the Caps Lock ⇪ key.

What ?

Caps Lock ⇪ key is rarely used, so why not repurpose it?

The idea is to remap Caps Lock ⇪ to hyper key, meaning a key combination like cmd+option+ctrl+shift on Mac.

Why ?

This combination is generally never used by apps because it's too complex for users. But by mapping it to hyper key, we gain access to an entirely new layer of shortcuts.

It is mind-blowing !
By combining the ease of assigning shortcuts to a variety of commands with Raycast, I can now access my most-used apps super quickly.

Use cases

When I started, I've created over 20 shortcuts in less than an hour. Thanks to some mnemonic devices, there's no need to memorize them. Adopted in a flash !

I feel like I have superpowers now, accessing everything I need with just a few keystrokes.

Inside VSCode:

  • CAPS + D Find previous occurrence (inverse of cmd+D)
  • CAPS + Enter Smart Select from the cursor
  • Shift + Enter Move current cursor to Smart Select

How ?

To remap Caps Lock, I use Hyperkey, which is free and made by Ryan Hanson. There might be other similar tools for Mac or Windows.

To install, download it directly from their site or use

brew install --cask hyperkey
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It's a small change with a big impact for me. Give it a try !

Hope it helps,
Jules

Read the same article on my website

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Top comments (8)

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wizard798 profile image
Wizard

Is there any way to do on windows?

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daevski profile image
David

Yes, windows “PowerToys” allows for key remapping. I’ve used it to remap CAPS lock to Escape. I use escape a LOT and have no use for caps.

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benborla profile image
Ben Borla

Uhmm. Good to know, but I'm sticking to my routines. :-)
Great idea though!

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bntstr profile image
Bntstr

Thanks for this

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leob profile image
leob • Edited

I'm using another key mapping program, which works well too - but no way I'm remapping the CAPS LOCK key, lol - I'M USING THAT WAY TOO OFTEN, I REALLY NEED THAT KEY ! ;-)

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c043 profile image
C043

As a NeoVim user I remapped that key to esc so I can exit insert mode more easily, as it’s easier to reach

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traleeee profile image
Tra Le

I thought this article will have something that i'm finding for so long...

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