Do you know your keyboard has a menu key? On full-size keyboards, you’ll discover it to the left of your proper Ctrl key. This key opens context menus, however you possibly can tweak it to make it extra helpful.
The place’s the Menu Key on Your Keyboard?
On full-size keyboards, the menu secret’s positioned between the suitable Home windows key and the suitable Ctrl key to the suitable of the House bar. The menu key can be typically known as the “software key.”
Some smaller keyboards—for instance, laptop computer keyboards—omit the menu key to avoid wasting area. Different smaller keyboards omit the suitable Home windows key and go away the menu key between the suitable Alt and Ctrl keys.
Both method, in case your keyboard has a menu key, it’ll be to the left of your proper Ctrl key. It doesn’t have the phrase “menu” printed on it—it has just a little image that appears like a menu. This image isn’t standardized and can look completely different on completely different keyboards. Typically it reveals a small pointer hovering above a menu and typically it seems to be like a stylized menu—a sq. or rectangle with some horizontal traces inside it.
What’s the Menu Key For?
The menu key opens a context menu on your present software. It’s principally like right-clicking in your choice within the software.
Attempt it—press the menu key whereas viewing this internet web page and also you’ll see your internet browser’s context menu, simply as when you had right-clicked on the web page.
That is secret’s helpful when you don’t have a mouse or don’t have a mouse with a proper mouse button. It really works in many alternative functions. If you choose a file or folder in File Explorer and press the menu key, you’ll see a context menu simply as when you had right-clicked on the file.
This key makes it attainable to make use of the context menu with simply the keyboard and with out a mouse. Press the menu key, use the arrow keys to pick out an possibility, and press Enter to activate it. Choose textual content or different components with keyboard shortcuts and press the menu key to activate context menu choices—all with out your fingers leaving the keyboard.
Microsoft is now speaking about changing this key into an Workplace key to match the Home windows key. Most PC customers possible don’t contact this key, which explains why Microsoft is floating the thought of fixing it. It’s a little bit of a relic, like the Sys Rq, Scroll Lock, and Pause Break keys.
RELATED: What Are the Sys Rq, Scroll Lock, and Pause Break Keys on My Keyboard?
Shift+F10 Can Perform Like a Menu Key, Too
In case your keyboard doesn’t have a menu key, however you need to open a context menu with a keyboard shortcut, by no means concern. You possibly can press Shift+F10 in most functions to open a context menu. It’s principally the identical factor because the menu key.
This doesn’t work in each software, nonetheless—it will depend on the functions. If nothing occurs within the software you’re utilizing, attempt Ctrl+Shift+F10.
Tips on how to Remap the Menu Key
The menu key isn’t fairly as annoying because the Home windows key, which may take you out of video games and different full-screen functions when you by accident press it. Nevertheless, it’s possible you’ll need to change the habits of the menu key and have it do one thing extra helpful. In any case, that’s prime keyboard actual property going to waste when you’re not utilizing the important thing.
We like SharpKeys for rapidly remapping a key to a different key. You possibly can remap keys within the Home windows Registry, however it’s way more difficult. SharpKeys gives a handy graphical interface that customizes the underlying registry values for you.
After putting in and launching SharpKeys, click on the “Add” button so as to add a brand new remapping.
Choose “Particular: Software (E0_5D)” within the left pane. You may as well click on “Kind Key” and press the menu key—as we talked about above, it’s typically known as the “software key,” as it’s right here.
In the suitable pane, choose no matter key you need to remap the menu key to. For instance, you possibly can select “Net: Again” and the important thing will perform as a again key in your internet browser and another software that helps this key.
While you’re executed, click on “OK.”
Click on “Write to Registry” to jot down your adjustments to the Home windows Registry. You’ll now have to shut the SharpKeys window after which both reboot your PC or signal out and signal again in. Your adjustments will take impact if you subsequent sign up.
If you wish to change what the important thing does or undo your adjustments, open SharpKeys as soon as once more, choose your rule, and use the “Edit” or “Delete” button to switch or delete it. Write your adjustments to the registry after which signal out and again in once more.
You should utilize SharpKeys to reassign different keys, too—for instance, you may make the Caps Lock or Home windows key perform as different keys.
Tips on how to Customise the Menu Key Utilizing AutoHotkey
For extra superior customization, we advocate AutoHotkey. You possibly can use AutoHotkey to jot down a fast little script that may hear for the menu key and carry out different actions if you press it. In AutoHotkey, this key known as the “AppsKey.”
For instance, the next line in an AutoHotkey script will disable the menu key (“AppsKey”) and trigger it to do nothing (“Return”):
AppsKey::Return
This code in an AutoHotkey script will hear for the menu key and launch Microsoft Phrase if you press it:
AppsKey:: Run WINWORD return
There’s an excellent probability the menu key will go away in some unspecified time in the future. With keyboards nonetheless having Scroll Lock keys, nonetheless, there’s an excellent probability the menu key will nonetheless be round for many years to return.
