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Microsoft released PowerToys v0.79.0 on March 4, 2024. The historical release’s most notable Keyboard Manager changes were the ability to map a shortcut to start an application, open a URI, or use a two-key chord after one or more modifier keys. It was a software update—not a new physical keyboard feature.
What changed in Keyboard Manager
The v0.79.0 release notes describe three Keyboard Manager additions: “New feature: Keyboard Manager allows mapping shortcuts to start applications or opening URIs.” The same release also added chords to shortcuts. See the official PowerToys v0.79.0 release notes.
| Shortcut action | What it does | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Start an application | Launches an executable from a chosen shortcut. | Open a work app without searching the Start menu. |
| Open a URI | Sends a URI to Windows and its associated handler. | Open a web address or another supported URI scheme. |
| Chord | Uses one or more modifier keys followed by two non-modifier keys. | Group several related commands behind the same initial key. |
Chords are optional. A normal shortcut remains the simpler choice for a frequently used action or a combination that is easy to remember.
Map a shortcut to launch an application
Microsoft’s current Keyboard Manager documentation provides the configuration model for application-launch remaps. In PowerToys, open Keyboard Manager, choose Remap a shortcut, select Add shortcut remapping, and edit the shortcut and its mapped action.
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- Choose the input shortcut. Select Select beside the physical shortcut and press the key combination you want to use.
- Choose the action. Select the option for starting an application, then specify the executable path.
- Set launch behavior as needed. Depending on the application, configure arguments, working directory, elevation, and what should happen if the app is already running.
- Save the remap. Apply the change and test it while PowerToys is running.
The executable path and optional launch settings matter when an application needs command-line arguments, a particular folder, administrator elevation, or a defined response to an existing instance.
Map a shortcut to open a URI
Select the shortcut-remapping command for opening a URI and enter the URI you want Windows to handle. The associated browser or application then receives it according to the URI scheme and the defaults configured on that PC. Microsoft’s documentation links to URI-launch guidance and examples; it does not guarantee that every URI scheme or application will work identically.
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Use a standard shortcut unless the URI action is part of a larger group of related commands. A chord can reserve a common starting key while keeping several URI destinations organized.
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Microsoft defines a chord as one or more modifier keys followed by two non-modifier keys. For example, a modifier combination can begin a sequence, after which the user presses one non-modifier key and then another. Chords are recorded through the shortcut editor after enabling Allow chords.
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- Open PowerToys Settings and select Keyboard Manager.
- Enable Allow chords.
- Open the shortcut-remapping editor and choose Add shortcut remapping.
- When recording the input shortcut, enter the modifier portion and the two non-modifier keys in sequence.
- Assign the application launch, URI launch, or another available shortcut action, then save it.
Chords are a way to organize shortcuts, not a prerequisite for launching applications or URIs.
Global and application-specific remaps
A remap can apply globally across Windows or only when a specified application process is active. For an app-specific rule, target the process name—for example, msedge.exe for Microsoft Edge—rather than assuming the displayed application name is the correct value. Use global scope for a command you need everywhere; use a process-specific scope when the same keys should behave differently inside one application.
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Requirements and limitations
- Keyboard Manager must be enabled, and PowerToys must continue running in the background for remappings to work.
- Some Windows combinations are reserved and cannot be remapped through Keyboard Manager. Microsoft specifically lists Win+L and Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
- URI behavior depends on the URI scheme and the handler installed and configured on Windows.
- The release notes and documentation describe software configuration; they do not establish a need for a special keyboard, macro pad, or other physical accessory.
Other changes in the v0.79.0 release
PowerToys v0.79.0 was presented as a cycle focused on stability, improvements, and new features. Beyond Keyboard Manager, the release included a modernized Color Picker, drive previews in Peek, and a Windows 11 context-menu entry for File Locksmith. Those changes are separate from the new shortcut actions.
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