microsoft / microsoft/PowerToys
KEY MAPPPING
- Dominant language
- C
- Stars
- 139k
- Forks
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Description
### Description of the new feature / enhancement
Feature Request: Per-Keyboard Key Remapping
Current keyboard remapping in PowerToys applies globally to all keyboards. It would be extremely useful to support remapping on a per-device basis.
Example use case:
- Laptop internal keyboard has a faulty D key that continuously sends input.
- External USB keyboard works perfectly.
- Current remapping solutions disable the D key on both keyboards, making the external keyboard less useful.
Requested functionality:
Allow users to select a specific keyboard device and apply remappings only to that device.
Example:
Internal Keyboard:
- D → Disabled
External USB Keyboard:
- D → D (unchanged)
This would help users with faulty laptop keyboards, accessibility needs, multiple keyboard setups, custom workflows, and gaming configurations.
Windows can already identify input devices at a lower level, so exposing per-device remapping through Power Toys would solve a common real-world problem without requiring advanced third-party tools.
### Scenario when this would be used?
Scenario
My laptop's built-in keyboard has a faulty D key that continuously sends random D key presses. I use an external USB keyboard that works perfectly.
Currently, PowerToys keyboard remapping applies globally, so if I disable the D key, it is disabled on both the faulty internal keyboard and the working external keyboard.
The ideal solution would be:
- Internal laptop keyboard:
- D → Disabled
- External USB keyboard:
- D → Normal
This would allow users to continue using a laptop with a partially faulty keyboard without losing functionality on external keyboards.
Other scenarios include:
- Broken or stuck keys on laptop keyboards.
- Different layouts on multiple keyboards.
- Accessibility requirements.
- Gaming setups with dedicated macro/keypad devices.
- Shared workstations with multiple input devices.
### Supporting information
_No response_
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start by reading the existing PowerToys Keyboard Manager remapping flow and its handling of Windows input devices. Define how users select a keyboard and how per-device mappings coexist with global mappings, then verify the faulty internal-keyboard and external-USB scenario described in the issue.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Domain
- desktop, operating-systems
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100