Remap keyboard with scancode map for current user only

It is true that user-level keyboard remapping is needed for different users of the same machine to have their own functionality.

However, there is a more fundamental reason why this is needed.  With many companies cracking down on computer security, and taking local admin rights away from their IT people, it is necessary to make these changes at the user level, as you need administrative rights to change hkey_local_machine.

Some of us need to remap the keyboard for medical reasons; for example, wrist pain from user the Ctrl key in its default location.  I don't think it's fair that a company should restrict users from using the computer the way they need to to maintain their health.  The "you can't qualify for this job if you don't type like everybody else" is not an excuse.  It's like denying wheel chair access to buildings and saying you don't qualify if you're crippled!

Dear Sir,

I think people are interested in user-level keyboard mapping because of administrative rights.  You don't need them to do it for your own user account.

With companies getting stricter about computer privileges, and more and more of them taking away local admin rights from their IT people, it becomes necessary to do keyboard remapping at a level that doesn't require them.

I need to remap my CAPS LOCK key to Control because I use it a lot, and I get wrist pain if I can't map my keyboard that way.  Some companies may not allow users to edit system-level registry keys, particularly if you do government contracting.

So, can someone please tell me why Microsoft removed user-level keyboard remapping in Windows 7, if they plan to put it back, and if there is an alternative way to achieve it?

Thanks.

**** Hello jbum112,

To restore the keyboard, run regedit.exe and delete the "Scancode Map" entry from HKEY_CURRENT_USER (and log off/on), or from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (and reboot), depending on which section of the registry you changed.

edit Use the Caps Lock key as Ctrl. Particularly while touch typing, it can be useful to remap the keyboard so that pressing CapsLock is the same as pressing Ctrl.

This change makes it easy to press Ctrl-[ as an alternative to pressing Esc.

The following applies to the current user (log off and log on to apply). Alternatively, an administrator can apply the change to all users (reboot to apply) by replacing

 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout] with

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]

Map CapsLock to LeftCtrl (press CapsLock to generate LeftCtrl):

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout]

"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,1d,00,3a,00,00,00,00,00

An alternative would be to replace the "Scancode Map" line with the following to swap CapsLock and LeftCtrl:

"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,3a,00,1d,00,1d,00,3a,00,00,00,00,00

Important: This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up annd restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756  ) How to back up and restore the registry in Windows.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Manasa P – Microsoft Support.

Hi Microsoft,

How can I remap more than one Scancode to registry? As I want to Disable all CTRL ,ALT and Windows Key. How can I do it? I can try the following but wouldn't work:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]

"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,00,00,1D,E0,00,00,38,E0,00,00,00,00 ;Disable Right CTRL key and ALT key

"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,00,00,1D,00,00,00,38,00,00,00,00,00 ;Disable Left CTRL key and ALT key

"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,00,00,5B,E0,00,00,5C,E0,00,00,00,00 ;Disable Windows Key

It only read the third scancode map. So the Windows Key is disabled and CTRL ,ALT Keys still functional. How can I disable all CTRL ,ALT and Windows Key on the keyboard?

Many Thanks!

Yes. HKCU seems not to work under Win 7. Isn't it?

Per-user keyboard mapping was introduced in XP but never documented. It survived through Vista but Windows 7 removed it, and it hasn't returned in Windows 8 (at least not in the preview edition).

Per-user mapping was very useful for two reasons:

1. Sometimes more than one user account uses the same computer!
2. You didn't have to be an admin to change your own settings.