Simple Modifications
Pick a key on the left and its new job on the right. Swap Command and Option or kill Caps Lock in seconds.
⌥ becomes ⌘
Free & Open Source V16.3.0
Karabiner Elements for MacRemap Any Key You Want
Turn Caps Lock into Escape, give your function keys new jobs and write rules for any keyboard you plug in. One free download for macOS 13 and later.
caps lock tap for esc hold for control
$0Free with no account
22.9kGitHub stars
145K+Downloads on MacUpdate
13+Minimum macOS version
A keyboard that works the way your hands do
Karabiner-Elements started life as KeyRemap4MacBook, then became Karabiner. Today it is a powerful and stable keyboard customizer that maps keys, buttons and combos across every keyboard you connect to your Mac.
Complex Modifications
Build rules with conditions. Send one key on a tap and a modifier on a hold, or fire a shortcut from a key combo.
space held acts as shift
Rules per keyboard
Apply changes to one device only. Your external Windows board gets a Mac layout while the built-in keys stay untouched.
Built-in, USB and Bluetooth boards listed apart
Profiles you can switch
Keep a coding setup, a gaming setup and a clean default. Swap between them from the menu bar with one click.
Each profile holds its own rules and devices
Menu bar and EventViewer
A small menu bar icon gives quick access to profiles and settings. EventViewer shows the exact code every key or mouse button sends.
Function keys remap to any action too
Safe by design
Your rules keep working at password prompts and in Terminal with Secure Keyboard Entry. Modifier states stay in sync across all connected boards.
Open source, so anyone can read the code
Terminal installation
Advanced users can install Karabiner-Elements with a single Homebrew command.
$brew install --cask karabiner-elements
How to open Terminal on Mac
- Press ⌘ + space to open Spotlight.
- Type Terminal in the search field.
- Hit return and a Terminal window opens.
Installation via Terminal command
- Click Copy above to grab the command.
- Paste it into Terminal with ⌘ + V and press return.
- Karabiner-Elements lands in Applications. Open it and allow the driver plus Input Monitoring when macOS asks.
No Homebrew? Install it from brew.sh or grab the DMG straight from the official release.
Download DMGHow Karabiner-Elements works on your Mac
Three moves take you from a stock keyboard to one that fits your habits.
01
Swap a key
Open Settings and go to Simple Modifications. Choose a key from the list and set what it should send instead.
02
Add a smarter rule
Import a ready rule from the community library or write your own. Tap and hold tricks, app rules and combos all live here.
03
Test and fine tune
Pick which keyboard each rule targets. Then open EventViewer and press keys to watch every change happen live.
The one remap everyone keeps
Caps Lock sits on prime real estate and almost nobody uses it. This rule turns it into two keys at once.
tapcaps lockesc
holdcaps lockcontrol
Vim users get a closer Escape. Everyone else gets a Control key under the left pinky.
~/.config/karabiner/karabiner.json
{
"description": "Caps Lock to Control, Escape on tap",
"manipulators": [
{
"type": "basic",
"from": {
"key_code": "caps_lock",
"modifiers": { "optional": ["any"] }
},
"to": [{ "key_code": "left_control" }],
"to_if_alone": [{ "key_code": "escape" }]
}
]
}
Karabiner-Elements vs built-in macOS options
macOS can swap a few modifier keys on its own. Anything past that needs a real remapper.
| What you want | System Settings modifier keys | hidutil command | Karabiner-Elements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swap Caps Lock, Control, Option or Command | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remap letters, numbers and function keys | No | Yes | Yes |
| Different action on tap and hold | No | No | Yes |
| Rules that apply in one app only | No | No | Yes |
| Switchable profiles | No | No | Yes |
| Keeps settings after restart | Yes | Needs a launch agent | Yes |
| Point and click setup | Yes | No | Yes |
| Price | Free | Free | Free |
What Mac users say about Karabiner-Elements
Writers, developers and gamers who changed one key and never went back.
Caps Lock now sends Escape on a tap and Control on a hold. I set it up in two minutes with Karabiner-Elements and my Vim workflow feels like a different editor.
Daniel H.
I use a Windows layout keyboard at my desk and the MacBook keyboard on the go. Device rules swap Command and Option only on the external board. Exactly what I needed.
Sara Malik
Been running Karabiner Elements on every Mac since the KeyRemap4MacBook days. Updates keep landing and nothing has broken across macOS upgrades.
Lukas W.
The EventViewer saved me an afternoon. It shows the exact key code my mouse side buttons send, so writing the rule took one try.
Priya N.
Powerful once you get it. The JSON rules took me a weekend to understand, but the community rule library got me most of the way without writing anything.
Marco R.
Free, open source and maintained by one very careful developer. Karabiner elements for Mac is the first thing I install after Homebrew.
Emily T.
My ELECOM trackball has buttons macOS ignores. After the latest Karabiner download they handle back, forward and Mission Control.
Kenji A.
I write all day and hated reaching for the arrow keys. Now Right Command plus H, J, K and L moves the cursor in every app on my Mac.
Olivia B.
Runs native on my M3 MacBook Pro with zero lag. Karabiner elements mac setup took one Homebrew command and a couple of permission clicks.
Ahmed R.
Karabiner-Elements FAQ
Straight answers to the questions people ask before they install.
Is Karabiner-Elements really free?
Yes. Karabiner-Elements costs nothing and has no paid tier or account. The developer accepts optional donations, and the full source code sits on GitHub.
Which macOS versions does Karabiner Elements for Mac support?
Version 16.3.0 needs macOS 13 Ventura or later. It runs on Sonoma, Sequoia, Tahoe and newer releases on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Where can I get the official Karabiner download?
The DMG comes straight from the pqrs-org GitHub releases page, which the buttons on this page link to. You can also install it with
brew install --cask karabiner-elements.Why does macOS ask for permissions after install?
Karabiner-Elements reads key presses and sends new ones through a virtual keyboard driver. macOS asks you to allow that driver and to grant Input Monitoring and Accessibility so the app can do its job.
Can I use rules other people have written?
Yes. Open Complex Modifications, click Add predefined rule and import from the community library. Popular picks include Emacs and Vi key bindings, mouse keys and protection against an accidental Command Q.
Does Karabiner-Elements mac support mice and trackballs?
It does. You can remap pointing device buttons and target specific models. Version 16.3.0 added buttons 6 to 8 on ELECOM HUGE trackballs.
How do I remove Karabiner-Elements?
Open Karabiner-Elements Settings, go to the Misc tab and click Uninstall Karabiner-Elements. The built-in uninstaller removes the driver and background services cleanly.
Is Karbiner Element the same app as Karabiner-Elements?
Yes. Karbiner Element is a common misspelling of Karabiner-Elements, the free keyboard customizer from pqrs.org. Search either name and you land on the same app, and every download here points to the official release.
Make your keyboard yours
Download Karabiner-Elements free and remap your first key in under a minute.