KeyTweak

KeyTweak is an input device management application that can remap keys and disable ones that aren't currently in use. The app can enable keys that wouldn't normally be switched on and it can even completely redefine the functionality of keys that aren't often used. Once changes have been made, the app will even showcase the current configuration on a single sheet.

International users who have to type in a different language can use KeyTweak to swap out keys for ones that are more practical for their specific situation. The app allows you to add diacritical marks, like those used for writing in Romance languages, as well as foreign characters. Those who want to simply reorient a few keys can also do so without needing to change the entire keyboard. Specialists who want to assign specific characters to a key, such as proper fractions, may be able to do this as well. Though it might take a small amount of practice to get used to, KeyTweak is quite user-friendly once you've mastered the basic nuances.

Ironically, gamers are probably among those who must often use KeyTweak in spite of the fact that the software is geared toward an international audience. For instance, those who want to disable the Windows keys so that they don't get kicked out full-screen games by the Start Menu can switch them off with this app. They could also disable the application key, which normally opens up a context menu when editing documents. Since inadvertently hitting this while running an online game can be devastating, players have often turned to KeyTweak in order to disable it.

Developers have also expressed a strong preference for the app's ability to either switch off the Caps Lock key, which can be an annoyance when writing code, or turning it into an extra Control modifier. At one point, Control was usually to the left of the A key while Caps Lock was positioned somewhere on the bottom of the layout. KeyTweak frees users to restore this arrangement if they'd prefer.

Tech-savvy users might even want to add functionality to keys that they seldom ever do anything with. For instance, the Pause/Break key is seldom used for anything outside of a few default Windows shortcuts. Scroll Lock may have even less utility, but KeyTweak can give them both a new function if you'd prefer. They can even then map these to other hotkeys if they have a different application open at the same time.

While it's possible to come up with some really creative layouts, chances are that most KeyTweak users are just going to use it to turn off something annoying like the Insert key.

Pros

• Offers an at-a-glance look of all mappings currently in use
• Removes mappings with a single click
• Shuts off annoying keys
• Adds no appreciable amount of overhead
• Relatively user-friendly

Cons

• Changes keyboard layouts across the board
• Needs to restart whenever a change gets made
• May disable functions inadvertently