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@borama
Created August 1, 2025 10:16
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Karabiner script to input Unicode characters
{
"description": "Unicode characters",
"manipulators": [
{
"description": "arrow right",
"from": {
"key_code": "i",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "1",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "9",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "arrow left",
"from": {
"key_code": "i",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option", "left_shift"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "1",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "9",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "multiplication sign",
"from": {
"key_code": "x",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "d",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "7",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "em dash",
"from": {
"key_code": "w",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "1",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "4",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "n dash",
"from": {
"key_code": "h",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "1",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "3",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "superscript 1",
"from": {
"key_code": "1",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option", "left_shift"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "b",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "9",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "superscript 2",
"from": {
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option", "left_shift"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "b",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "superscript 3",
"from": {
"key_code": "3",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option", "left_shift"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "b",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "3",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "single low quotation mark",
"from": {
"key_code": "4",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option", "left_shift"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "1",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "a",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "left single quotation mark",
"from": {
"key_code": "5",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option", "left_shift"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "1",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "8",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "right double quotation mark",
"from": {
"key_code": "6",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option", "left_shift"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "1",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "d",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "right single quotation mark",
"from": {
"key_code": "7",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option", "left_shift"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "1",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "9",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "double low-9 quotation mark",
"from": {
"key_code": "8",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option", "left_shift"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "1",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "e",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "left double quotation mark",
"from": {
"key_code": "9",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option", "left_shift"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "2",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "1",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "c",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
},
{
"description": "degree sign",
"from": {
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": { "mandatory": ["left_option", "left_shift"] }
},
"to": [
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" },
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "b",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{
"key_code": "0",
"modifiers": "right_option"
},
{ "apple_vendor_top_case_key_code": "keyboard_fn" }
],
"type": "basic"
}
]
}
@borama
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borama commented Aug 1, 2025

This is a sample configuration for Karabiner Elements that allows to define keyboard shortcuts for typing Unicode characters in MacOS. I've seen other solutions using bash scripts but this one leverages a different route: it simulates temporary switching the input source to the "Unicode Hex Input" and typing the Unicode character hex code while the Option key is pressed. For this to work, the Unicode Hex input source must be enabled in settings.

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