Karabiner-Elements for MAC
Free, open-source keyboard customizer for Mac: remap any key and build complex shortcuts. Stable and powerful.
Karabiner-Elements Overview
Karabiner-Elements is a free, open-source keyboard customizer for Mac. It can change any key into another, such as Caps Lock into Control or Escape, and with complex modifications it can do much more: make a key act as Escape when tapped and Control when held, add a "hyper" key, or set different rules for different apps and keyboards. Karabiner-Elements is made by Takayama Fumihiko (pqrs.org) and released into the public domain.
Karabiner-Elements 16.3.0 supports macOS 13 Ventura through macOS 27 and runs on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs; older versions remain available for earlier systems. It needs a few permissions and a driver approval in System Settings when you first install it. A large library of ready-made rules from its community can be imported with a click.
Key Features
Karabiner-Elements changes how your keyboard works, at the lowest level.
- Simple modifications: change one key into another.
- Complex modifications: tap and hold behaviors, key combinations, app-specific rules and more.
- Community rules: import ready-made rules from a large online library.
- Per device: apply settings to specific keyboards and pointing devices.
- Built-in keyboard: turn off the built-in keyboard when an external one is connected.
- Function keys: choose what the F1–F12 keys do.
- Profiles: switch between sets of settings.
- EventViewer and CLI: see the key events your Mac receives, and control Karabiner from the command line.
What’s New in Version 16.3.0
Karabiner-Elements 16.3.0 fixes several issues.
- Fixed modifier keys getting stuck when both left and right Command or Shift were pressed with the CGEventTap fallback
- Fixed updates being checked every time the Mac woke from sleep
- Fixed key changes stopping for 30 seconds when the Mac woke right after going to sleep
- Support for buttons 6–8 on ELECOM HUGE trackballs
Karabiner-Elements FAQ
Is Karabiner-Elements free?
Yes. Karabiner-Elements is free and open source, released into the public domain.
Which macOS versions does Karabiner-Elements support?
Karabiner-Elements 16.3.0 supports macOS 13 Ventura through macOS 27, on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. Older versions for earlier macOS versions are on its website.
How do I change Caps Lock to Control with Karabiner-Elements?
Open Karabiner-Elements, go to Simple Modifications, add an item and set caps_lock to left_control. The change takes effect at once.
What are complex modifications?
Complex modifications are rules that do more than swap keys, such as making a key Escape when tapped and Control when held, or applying shortcuts only in some apps.
Where can I find ready-made rules?
Karabiner-Elements has a library of predefined rules made by its community. Import them from the Complex Modifications tab and turn on the ones you want.
Why does Karabiner-Elements ask for permissions and a driver?
To change keys at a low level, it needs Input Monitoring permission and a driver extension that you approve in System Settings when you install it.
Can Karabiner-Elements work only on an external keyboard?
Yes. Settings can apply to specific devices, and it can turn off the built-in keyboard while an external keyboard is connected.
How can I see which key is being pressed?
Use EventViewer, which comes with Karabiner-Elements. It shows the key events your Mac receives, which helps when writing rules.
How do I uninstall Karabiner-Elements?
Use the uninstall option in Karabiner-Elements' settings, which removes the app and its driver. The documentation describes the steps.
Where does the Karabiner-Elements download on karabiner-elements.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to Karabiner-Elements' official website at https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/. karabiner-elements.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
Similar Apps
MaCursorMaCursor gives you control over the system cursors on macOS. You can replace them with your own artwork or with ready-made themes, fine-tune every detail in a visual editor, and switch between themes instantly with global hotkeys. The Theme Gallery offers more than 80 ready-to-apply themes, and a double-click on a theme replaces every system cursor. A Restore button puts the macOS defaults back at any time.Customization
MosMos makes scrolling with a mouse wheel on your Mac feel as smooth as a trackpad, while keeping the precision of a mouse. On macOS a mouse wheel often scrolls in abrupt jumps; Mos intercepts the wheel events and turns them into smooth, continuous movement. It also lets you set the scroll direction for the mouse separately from the trackpad, so you can keep natural scrolling on one and not the other. Mos is a small menu bar app made by Caldis and loved by more than 21,000 people who starred it on GitHub.Customization
LeftHandyLeftHandy is a small menu bar app that adds left-handed mouse and cursor support to your Mac. It mirrors the system cursors, including the arrow, the pointing hand, the resize handles and the crosshair, so their tip points the way that feels natural to a left-handed user. It can also swap the left and right mouse buttons in real time, without changing anything in System Settings.Customization
TinkerToolTinkerTool is a free utility that gives you access to additional preference settings Apple has built into macOS but does not show in System Settings. With it you can switch on hidden features of the operating system and of some apps that come with it: show hidden files in the Finder, add spacers to the Dock, change the screenshot file format, turn off Liquid Glass or keep chosen apps light while dark mode is on. Every change applies only to your own user account, and all settings can be reset to Apple's defaults or to the state before you used the tool.Customization
DeckleDeckle is a free, open-source menu bar app that lays a subtle paper-grain texture over your entire Mac screen. The idea is to make long reading and writing sessions feel more like paper than glass. You pick a paper, set how strong it is, and keep working: the overlay is fully click-through, so every window underneath stays usable. It comes with 26 built-in papers, from a plain dimming veil with no grain to warm, tinted, dark and fiber-heavy finishes, and you can save up to eight named desk setups such as Read, Write or Unwind.Customization
NotchlyNotchly is a lightweight native app that turns the notch on a MacBook screen into a small, interactive control area, similar to the Dynamic Island on iPhone. Around the notch it shows what is playing with music controls, battery and charging status, Lock Screen playback, focus mode animations and swipe gestures. For developers it can also show alerts from Codex, Cursor and Claude Code, so you see when an AI agent needs approval or has finished a task.Customization
FULLMAC.app does not host this app. Download buttons lead to the developer’s own pages.