AutoHotkey Tutorial
AutoHotkey is a keyboard macro software for Microsoft Windows. It is free.
For example, you can:
- Set F8 to launch browser, and just switch to it if it is already running.
- Set F3 to Copy, F4 to Paste, F12 to close a browser tab.
- Swap Alt and Ctrl keys.
- Disable ❖ Window key, but not when pressed with another key.
- Disable CapsLock, NumLock, ScrollLock keys, or make them do something useful.
- Set a key to insert today's date.
- Set a key to insert template text, such as your address.
Download AutoHotkey
Download at http://www.autohotkey.com/
Create Script
To create a AHK script, type the following text into a file, save and name it test.ahk
; launch Notepad Run Notepad
AutoHotkey language words are not case sensitive. Run is the same as run.
Run Script
To run ahk script, double click it.
Exit AutoHotkey
Right click on the AutoHotkey icon and pull a menu to exit the script. If you exit, your hotkeys will not work anymore.
Launch App, Open File
; launch app by name Run Notepad
; launch app by path Run "C:\Windows\explorer.exe"
; open file Run "%HOMEPATH%\Documents\todo.txt"
; open folder Run "%HOMEPATH%\Documents"
; launch a app with a parameter Run "%HOMEPATH%\Downloads\emacs-27.1-x86_64\bin\runemacs.exe" "-Q"
Set Key to Launch App
Here's how you create a keyboard shortcut for launching Notepad:
; make Win+n start Notepad #n::Run Notepad
Save the above in a file. Then, double click on it. Then, pressing ❖ Window+n will launch Notepad.
More examples with different keys:
; assign a hotkey to launch a app #n::Run Notepad ; Win+n !n::Run Notepad ; Alt+n ^n::Run Notepad ; Ctrl+n F6::Run Notepad ; F6 ^F6::Run Notepad ; Ctrl+F6 ^!n::Run Notepad ; Ctrl+Alt+n
Key Syntax
Sending Text and Keystrokes
You can define a hotkey, so that, when pressed, it sends some other typing or keystrokes.
; pressing F9 to insert your signature F9:: Send Best,{Enter}{Enter} Mary Jane Return
Note that AutoHotkey does not support Unicode well as of 2021-02-14. That means, if the text you want to insert is Chinese, or emoji 😂 , it won't work.
Start AutoHotkey when Windows Starts
Windows: Add App to Auto Start
AutoHotkey mode for Emacs
If you use Emacs, you can use a AutoHotkey mode i wrote. It fixes some problems i found in the bundled ahk mode. Get it at Emacs: Xah AutoHotkey Mode .