Prank: Re-Map the Keyboard!

Posted By: Sarah Perez | Feb 8th @ 12:19 AM

I wish I had known of this for April Fools Day! SharpKeys is a free utility that lets you remap any key on your keyboard. Essentially, SharpKeys is a registry hack that is used to make certain keys on a keyboard act like other keys. After you install the software, you can tell it what each key's new function can be. Although the software can be useful (like remapping CAPS Lock to Shift or turning it off if you have fumble fingers), it seems designed for pranking! The software works on Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Vista. The new version (2.1.1) addresses the Vista's user security so you no longer have to explicitly run SharpKeys as an Administrator as before. (via Download Squad)

Tags: pranks, Utilities

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Comments (3)

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Spinfusor

Remapkey.exe (one of the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools ) does the same thing with a much nicer interface.

RandyRants

I'd argue that the 2003 version has a nicer interface, but I'm biased (and this screenshot is just one dialog of three.) Besides, the Type Key stuff allows you to try and remap keys that might not be on the 2003 version of the on-screen keyboard, like media keys and the like. Just an alternate approach Smiley

Otherwise, you could also edit the Registry directly - for me, it was more about exposing the Windows functionality (and avoid physically popping off the cAPS lOCK key from my keyboards.)

TinaIsHot

One legit use that I did with SharpKeys was to remap some of the keys on a dedicated computer that I set up for viewing only one website (i.e. a kiosk). I remapped Ctrl and Alt and Delete to some random F keys, and disabled basically every other key except the ones they needed for typing. Then we ended up actually getting a solid steel keyboard that didn't have most of those extra keys anyways, but it was still a good idea I think.