KEY SPECIFICATION

Below is a reference for key representations used in the keys.cfg file (for specifying both hotkeys and the keystrokes for the SendKeys function). Significant parts of this page are adapted or taken directly from the AutoIT manual.

Quick Reference:

  1. Alpha-numeric keys are represented as expected (that is, as themselves). Always use lowercase letters.
  2. Modifier keys are represented as follows:
  3. "Special" keys can usually be represented by some tag such as the following: {key}. For example, {F1} represents an F1 keypress. For a specific list of all keys, see below.
  4. important! All hotkeys set must be a combination of at least one modifier key and one alpha-numeric or "special" key. Keys such as F1...F11 and Esc can be set as hotkeys themselves, but this is not generally advised, since many applications use these for keyboard shortcuts within the program.

The following hotkeys cannot be set:

Single keys of a-z or A-Z. At least one Alt, Ctrl, or Win modifier is required with these keys.
Ctrl+Alt+Delete It is reserved by Windows
F12 It is also reserved by Windows, according to its API.
NumPad's Enter Key Instead, use {Enter} which captures both Enter keys on the keyboard.
Win+B,D,E,F,L,M,R,U; and Win+Shift+M These are built-in Windows shortcuts. Note: Win+B and Win+L might only be reserved on Windows XP and above.
Alt, Ctrl, Shift, Win These are the modifier keys themselves!
Other Any global hotkeys a user has defined using third-party software, and any combinations of two or more "base keys" such as '{F1}{F2}' or 'ab'.

When you set a hotkey, HotKey captures the keypress and does not pass it on to the active application--with one exception: The Lock keys (NumLock, CapsLock, and ScrollLock) still toggle their respective state!

Special Keys

Key Representation Resulting Keypress
{!} !
{#} #
{+} +
{^} ^
{{} {
{}} }
{SPACE} SPACE
{ENTER} ENTER key on the main keyboard
{ALT} ALT
{BACKSPACE} or {BS} BACKSPACE
{DELETE} or {DEL} DELETE
{UP} Cursor up
{DOWN} Cursor down
{LEFT} Cursor left
{RIGHT} Cursor right
{HOME} HOME
{END} END
{ESCAPE} or {ESC} ESCAPE
{INSERT} or {INS} INS
{PGUP} PGUP
{PGDN} PGDN
{F1} - {F12} Function keys
{TAB} TAB
{PRINTSCREEN} PRINTSCR
{LWIN} Left Windows key
{RWIN} Right Windows key
{NUMLOCK} NUMLOCK
{CTRLBREAK} Ctrl+Break
{PAUSE} PAUSE
{CAPSLOCK} CAPSLOCK
{NUMPAD0} - {NUMPAD9} Numpad digits
{NUMPADMULT} NumpadMultiply
{NUMPADADD} Numpad Add
{NUMPADSUB} Numpad Subtract
{NUMPADDIV} Numpad Divide
{NUMPADDOT} Numpad period
{NUMPADENTER} Enter key on the numpad
{APPSKEY} Windows App key
{LALT} Left ALT key
{RALT} Right ALT key
{LCTRL} Left CTRL key
{RCTRL} Right CTRL key
{LSHIFT} Left Shift key
{RSHIFT} Right Shift key
{SLEEP} Computer SLEEP key