Getting started

Give your mouse a short break. KeySteer lets you move, click, and arrange windows while your hands stay on the keyboard. Start with one click, then explore the tools you need.

Try it first; the key list can wait

Start with one click, then try moving a window. The full keyboard layout and configuration reference are farther down the page, ready when you need them.

No configuration file is needed. KeySteer waits in the tray or status bar until you activate it.

First use

Start KeySteer.
Press the entry key:
Windows macOS
Left Alt + E Command + E
Hold these keys to move the pointer:
text
```
       K  up
H  left  J  down  L  right
```
Press ; to left-click.
Press Esc to return to Idle and restore normal keyboard input.

Windows	macOS
`Left Alt + E`	`Command + E`

Once you have moved the pointer and clicked once, you know KeySteer's most common workflow.

No response on your first macOS use?

Grant Device Control and Data Access permission on macOS 27, or Accessibility on older versions. See macOS installation and permissions.

Primary means Left Alt on Windows and Command on macOS by default. Use Shift only when a shortcut explicitly includes Shift+.

View available keys at any time

Your built-in cheat sheet

Press ? (Shift+/) to see the current mode's keys; press it again to hide them. Learn each command when you need it.

If you use a custom bindings table, keep "?" = "key_help" to retain this shortcut. The keyboard layout and quick reference are at the end of this page.

Available key hintsPreview the panel, then bind key_help to a key of your choice.

Your first window adjustment

Your first Window sessionMove, resize, centre and control audio with the keyboard.

Place the pointer over an ordinary window.
Press Alt+W (Option+W on macOS), then release the entry keys.
Use H/J/K/L to move it. Press S to switch to centred resizing, then use the same keys.
Press Z to undo an adjustment, or Q to finish and keep it.

Want a split screen? Press A from Window, then H for the left half. Want to arrange several windows? Press E; arrangement takes effect immediately and Z undoes it. T groups windows into tabs and R opens saved presets.

Quick, Editor, Tabs, and Restore use Q to return to Window; another Q returns to Idle. Hold Primary to temporarily use Normal pointer controls.

Follow the Window guide for side-by-side layouts, tab groups, saved workspaces, audio controls, and a mode-specific key reference.

A little room to experiment

Z undoes an adjustment and Shift+Z redoes it. Leaving with Q keeps the current layout.

Choose your next window task

Key in Window	What happens	Learn more
`A`	Choose placement and ratios with direction keys.	Quick: fast split layouts
`E`	Tile immediately; swap numbered windows and adjust regions.	Editor: tile and edit regions
`T`	Group compatible windows by application.	Tabs: group windows
`R`	Save an arrangement, then fill it with the windows you need today.	Restore: saved layouts and tab templates

Save from Editor or Tabs with Ctrl+S → optional note → Enter. An empty note uses an automatic name.

The operating model at a glance

---
config:
    layout: dagre
    look: classic
    flowchart:
        curve: basis
        rankSpacing: 40
        minNodeWidth: 88
        padding: 12
---
flowchart LR
    idle("Idle<br/>normal typing"):::mode-step
    normal("Normal<br/>move, click, scroll"):::mode-primary
    target("Targeting<br/>Grid<br/>Recursive Grid<br/>UI Hint"):::mode-step

    idle -->|"Primary+E"| normal
    normal -->|"enter when needed"| target
    target -->|"Esc"| normal
    normal -->|"Esc / q"| idle
    class idle diagram-blue
    class normal diagram-violet
    class target diagram-green

Most of the time you only switch between Idle and Normal. The three targeting modes are optional; there is no need to learn them all at once.

---
config:
    layout: dagre
    look: classic
    flowchart:
        curve: basis
        rankSpacing: 40
        minNodeWidth: 88
        padding: 12
---
flowchart LR
    idle("Idle<br/>normal typing"):::mode-step
    window("Window<br/>move, resize, volume"):::mode-primary
    arrange("Window arrangement<br/>Quick<br/>Editor<br/>Tabs"):::mode-step

    idle -->|"Alt+W"| window
    window -->|"enter when needed"| arrange
    arrange -->|"Q"| window
    window -->|"Q"| idle
    class idle diagram-blue
    class window diagram-violet
    class arrange diagram-amber

Window is the starting point for window management. Quick, Editor, and Tabs are optional ways to arrange your windows.

When the pointer needs to travel farther

What you want to do	Key	Mode
Reach an approximate area quickly	`g`	Grid
Target a very small control precisely	`Primary+G`	Recursive Grid
Narrow the area with directional halves	`Primary+F`	Bisect
Select a button, link, or input directly	`f`	UI Hint

Press Esc in a targeting mode to return to Normal; press it again to return to Idle.

Want different keys?

Open the Configuration & Simulator to view the keyboard, edit bindings and colours, then download your own TOML. KeySteer does not require a configuration file; start from the shipped default.

Primary is a cross-platform name: it defaults to left Alt on Windows and Command on macOS. Advanced users can map it to another physical key with [key_aliases].

Common controls live in the status menu

Right-click the Windows tray icon or click the macOS status icon to pause, reload configuration, enable launch at login, check for updates, or quit. Choose Configuration & Simulator... to bring the active configuration into the web editor.

Portable Windows builds keep configuration and logs beside the program. A macOS .app uses ~/Library/Application Support/KeySteer/.

If something goes wrong, run diagnostics. After editing a configuration, you can check the file separately:

bash

keysteer --doctor                       # Check the environment and permissions.
keysteer --check -c keysteer.user.toml   # Check configuration.

See Configuration for settings and troubleshooting, or Modes and actions for action syntax.

Edit bindings in your browser

Open Configuration & Simulator... from the tray menu. It opens your browser and requires network access. The simulator is an editor and preview; native app behavior is authoritative.

Edit W and A bindingsChoose a key on the full keyboard, then choose its action.

Everyday controls

Default key layoutLearn the colour groups first, then add commands when you need them.

qwerop

Capsasdfghjkl;'

Shiftzxcvbnm,.SlashRShift

CtrlPrimaryAltSpace

Move
Click
Speed
Scroll
Hold / drag
Application navigation
Mode switch

What you want to do	Key	Tip
Move the pointer	`H / J / K / L`	Left / down / up / right
Precision / slow movement	`Caps Lock` / `Left Shift`	Hold while moving; also affects scrolling
Fast movement	`V` or `B`	Hold while moving; also affects scrolling
Scroll down / up	`M` / `,`	Scroll from the main key area
Left / right / middle click	`;` / `'` / `Right Shift`	Click keys sit near your right hand
Drag	`N` + a click key	Tap `N` alone to release
Home / End / Page Up / Page Down	`T / Y / I / U`	Send directly to the current application
Open a targeting mode	`G` / `F` / `Primary+G` / `Primary+F`	Grid / UI Hint / Recursive Grid / Bisect
Move the pointer to the next display	`Primary+S`	For multiple displays
Move the window under the pointer to the next display	`Primary+D`	Keep the pointer's relative position in the window
Return to Idle	`Q` or `Esc`	Resume normal typing

See Normal mode for dragging, speed controls, and remapping.

Getting started ​

First use ​

View available keys at any time ​

Your first window adjustment ​

Choose your next window task ​

The operating model at a glance ​

When the pointer needs to travel farther ​

Want different keys? ​

Edit bindings in your browser ​

Everyday controls ​