Remap Caps Lock to Control on Windows 10

remap-capslock-to-control-win10.md

Ways to remap caps lock to control on Windows 10

These methods in this gist worked for me on my U.S.-based keyboard layouts. I am unsure about other layouts. If you have problems, revert your changes; delete the registry key you created (and reboot).

Update: you should probably scroll down to approach 4 where I suggest using Microsoft PowerToys Keyboard Manager.

Approach 1. Manually through regedit

Navigate to and create a new binary value in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout named Scancode Map.

You will enter the raw bytes like this (thanks @quapka):

00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 1d 00 3a 00 00 00 00 00

Save. Reboot. Done.

Approach 2. Make your own registry key file.

Thanks @datsuka-qwerty

Create a new .reg file and name it something meaningful like capstoctrl.reg. Edit the file and paste in the following:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\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

Save. Run the file. Reboot. Done.

Approach 3. Through PowerShell (as Administrator)

Open PowerShell as an administrator (Win + X)

$hexified = "00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,1d,00,3a,00,00,00,00,00".Split(',') | % { "0x$_"};

$kbLayout = 'HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout';

New-ItemProperty -Path $kbLayout -Name "Scancode Map" -PropertyType Binary -Value ([byte[]]$hexified);

Save. Reboot. Done.

Approach 4. Microsoft PowerToys

Give PowerToys a try for remapping not only capslock, but other keys as well. Microsoft PowerToys: Utilities to customize Windows 10.

Microsoft PowerToys: Keyboard Manager enables you to redefine keys on your keyboard.

For the non-Windowsy people like me. Once you create the new binary value called "Scancode Map" just enter the raw bytes:

00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 1d 00 3a 00 00 00 00 00

PowerShell running as admin works like a charm! Thanks for sharing.

I made a reg file for my lazy self.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\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

If anyone wants to revert/undo this change like me, just delete the registry key, and then restart PC.

hey maybe a dumb question, how do we do the opposite? My keyboard just had a life on its own

@emil-andersen - try deleting the registry key you created and restart.

PowerToys is very cool, thanks for this!!

anyone know what could be the issue for different binary for same windows10?

I think the differences in the hex you listed are because that also includes remapping the esc key which this gist does not cover.

If raerav's approach doesn't do what you need, I suggest remapping with PowerToys before wasting too much time on it.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/

Approach 3. Through PowerShell (as Administrator) is the best way

It's better than PowerToys, in some programs, it can detect Capslock is pressed, like you can try 2 methods in https://en.key-test.ru/

How about remapping the 'CapsLock' key to 'Shift' instead of 'Control'? Thanks.

@qisoster easiest way would be to use PowerToys. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/install

What @khanhicetea said is true though. PowerToys method does not work 100% of the time.

@qisoster Try this (power shell method)

$hexified = "00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,1d,00,2a,00,00,00,00,00".Split(',') | % { "0x$_"};

$kbLayout = 'HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout';

New-ItemProperty -Path $kbLayout -Name "Scancode Map" -PropertyType Binary -Value ([byte[]]$hexified);

Explained here : https://renenyffenegger.ch/notes/Windows/registry/tree/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/CurrentControlSet/Control/Keyboard-Layout/index

Note: I changed 3a to 2a because 2a is hex code of Uncaps_Shift

The example provided that is a registry file omits the

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

parts of the file. This makes it not work verbatim. The user who posted it even included that section. Please include it.

@kittywitch thanks for catching that. I updated the gist.

Swap CapsLock & Ctrl :

$hexified = "00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,1d,00,3a,00,3a,00,1d,00,00,00,00,00".Split(',') | % { "0x$_"};

$kbLayout = 'HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout';

New-ItemProperty -Path $kbLayout -Name "Scancode Map" -PropertyType Binary -Value ([byte[]]$hexified);

I tried approach 3. It worked for a couple minutes, and now all the sudden caps lock does nothing. What could have gone wrong?

PowerToys worked pretty fine for me! thanks!

Powertoys did not allow remapping of caps lock to "just control". It prompted me to add another key to the sequence after I selected Ctrl.

@nosrednayduj once you select ctrl, in the next box that opens up, scroll all the way to the top and select 'None'.

The above solutions left me without an option to use the CapsLock itself.
This is a reg file to remap CapsLock to CTRL and CTRL ot CapsLock.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,1d,00,3a,00,3a,00,1d,00,00,00,00,00

How do i map it to the right control, in order to be able to diferenciate keys in games?

The registry key hack works in Windows 7 too.

Is it impossible to change it for changing keyboard language? (ALT+SHIFT OR WIN key+Space)

win+v cannot work!
Keyboard Manger key remap doesn't correctly apply to the Windows + V clipboard shortcut.
You recommended a defective tool at the end. Use SharpKeys instead.

@life-is-dlc what are you talking about? PowerToys is an actively maintained tool by Microsoft. If you have a problem with their tool, go complain on their repo, not here.

I just can't agree with the term "actively maintained" you're using, since the problem I listed is 3 years ago. Also it is very specific to your solution for switching caps and ctrl. If you're going to use it to switch any keys else, probably fine though I didn't tested.
I'm curious-only in the debug purpose-haven't you run into any problem the issue mentioned? (In case you didn't want to click the link, I edit my post to reveal their titles.)

Maybe my wording of "defective" is not accurate. Sorry about that. English is not my first language. I'm still learning it.