Overview
Unify the behavior of the Control key between Windows and UNIX-based tools.
ReControl is a Windows utility designed to deliver an integrated and efficient keyboard experience modeled on macOS, where keyboard shortcuts with Command and key bindings in UNIX-based tools with Control coexist harmoniously.
This application enables global Emacs-like key bindings across your Windows system by remapping CapsLock to RCtrl (Right Ctrl).
This creates a clear separation of concerns. RCtrl handles ReControl’s global Emacs-like key bindings, similar to Control on macOS. The standard Ctrl (Left Ctrl) handles system and application shortcuts, similar to Command on macOS. The result is a fluid, conflict-free experience.
Features
- Global Emacs-like key bindings: Emacs-style navigation and editing in most text fields across Windows.
- Smart key remapping: Remaps CapsLock to RCtrl as ReControl’s modifier.
- Automatic application exclusions: Automatically disabled in terminals and editors to prevent conflicts.
Installation
You can install using WinGet or download and run the MSI installer.
During installation, the setup program automatically:
- Places the executable in
C:\Program Files\ReControl.
- Adds the application to your startup programs via a registry key so it runs automatically when Windows starts.
- Creates a
Scancode Map entry in the Windows registry to remap CapsLock to RCtrl.
> [!IMPORTANT]
>
> The installer will NOT overwrite any existing Scancode Map key in your registry. If you use other keyboard remapping tools such as Ctrl2Cap, you may need to remove or configure them yourself before installing ReControl.
>
> You can manually delete the Scancode Map key using Registry Editor at: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout
>
> Alternatively, run the following command in PowerShell as an Administrator to remove it:
>
> powershell > Remove-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout" -Name "Scancode Map" >
>
> A system restart is required for the changes to take effect.
>
WinGet (Recommended)
-
Open Windows PowerShell.
-
Run the following command:
winget install recontrol
-
Restart Windows to apply the key remapping.
MSI Installer
- Download the latest installer
ReControl-x.x.x-x64.msi from the Releases page.
- Run the downloaded
.msi file to install the application.
- Restart Windows to apply the key remapping.
Uninstallation
You can uninstall ReControl at any time from Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows. The uninstaller will also remove the registry key that was created during installation.
Usage
Once installed, ReControl runs silently in the background and resides in the notification area. Its Emacs-like key bindings become active system-wide immediately.
Global Key Bindings
The following shortcuts are available. They are triggered by the remapped CapsLock, which now acts as RCtrl.
| Shortcut | Action | Equivalent Keys |
|---|
| RCtrl+A | Move to the beginning of the line | Home |
| RCtrl+B | Move left by one character | Left |
| RCtrl+D | Delete the character to the right | Delete |
| RCtrl+E | Move to the end of the line | End |
| RCtrl+F | Move right by one character | Right |
| RCtrl+H | Delete the character to the left | Backspace |
| RCtrl+K | Cut text to the end of the line | Shift+End -> Shift+Delete |
| RCtrl+N | Move to the next line | Down |
| RCtrl+P | Move to the previous line | Up |
| RCtrl+T | Transpose two characters | Shift+Left -> Shift+Delete -> Right -> Shift+Insert |
| RCtrl+Y | Paste text | Shift+Insert |
> [!WARNING]
>
> RCtrl+K and RCtrl+T will overwrite the current contents of your clipboard.
>
Excluded Applications
To prevent conflicts, ReControl is disabled by default for the following applications:
- Windows Terminal (
WindowsTerminal.exe)
- GNU Emacs (
emacs.exe)
- gVim (
gvim.exe)
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License.
