40

Currently I am using Recaps for switching between keyboard layouts. But I am looking for a replacement, because it is a little buggy and not updated for years. Do you know any replacement?

11
  • 3
    Any particular OS, or will you accept an answer for Haiku? May 29, 2012 at 4:51
  • 2
    Recaps is a Windows app, so it is either that or Plan 9
    – Paul
    May 29, 2012 at 4:55
  • 5
    Is it alright for Alt + Shift to still be assigned to language switching? If so, AutoHotkey could be used to send an Alt + Shift on CapsLock.
    – Bob
    May 29, 2012 at 5:36
  • @Reza Your AHK code is wrong. + is the Shift modifier, it must come before {Raw} or normal keys. Try: Send, +{LAlt}
    – iglvzx
    Jun 1, 2012 at 5:05
  • @iglvzx It did not work. Jun 1, 2012 at 5:11

8 Answers 8

41

Following @Bob's suggestion to use AutoHotkey, the following script will simulate Alt+Shift when you press CapsLock:

CapsLock::Send, {Alt Down}{Shift Down}{Shift Up}{Alt Up}

Windows can be a little stubborn when it comes to keyboard shortcuts only consisting of modifiers, but the above technique works.

4
  • Wonderful, works like a charm! Thanks for this. Jun 30, 2018 at 18:19
  • What about Caps Lock for 1st layout and Shift+CapsLock for 2nd layout, any idea?
    – mini
    Mar 16, 2019 at 5:55
  • It worked very nice, but sometimes the keyboard-layout switching menu remained open. I found an even better alternative: Use the settings to make the grave (`) key switch layouts, and then use this AutoHotkey script: CapsLock:: Send, {vkC0sc029} SC029:: Send, {Alt down}{Numpad9}{Numpad6}{Alt up} (I used autohotkey.com/docs/v1/KeyList.htm#SpecialKeys to find the key code of the key. Then, when actually pressing the key, it uses alt-96, which types the character.)
    – Noam
    Jun 8, 2023 at 9:13
  • Thanks! This helped me. The above script is for AutoHotKey v1. Since there's a v2 already, here's the same script compatible with v2: CapsLock::Send("{Alt Down}{Shift Down}{Shift Up}{Alt Up}"). Feb 18 at 21:17
23

In Windows, you can set Windows to use Grave Accent (`) for switching between languages or keyboard layouts via a single key press.

If your windows is set to change keyboard layout by Ctrl+Shift you can use the following AutoHotKey script (I strongly recommend using http://www.autohotkey.com/) to map them to Caps Lock, normal CapsLock will be achieved by Shif+CapsLock

SetCapsLockState, AlwaysOff
+CapsLock::CapsLock

CapsLock::Send, {Ctrl down}{Shift down}{Shift up}{Ctrl up}{Ctrl up}
return
11
  • l.autohotkey.net is down :(
    – turbanoff
    Aug 31, 2015 at 15:10
  • @turbanoff Updated. Sep 1, 2015 at 6:57
  • 11
    Second {Ctrl up}? Why?
    – Monah Tuk
    Dec 15, 2016 at 4:26
  • 2
    I was forced to use windows at work after a long time, and can't even imagine how easy things were in Ubuntu and how difficult these things are here on Windows. For things as trivial as a keyboard shortcut you have to install an separate program. Jan 10, 2019 at 4:41
  • ⊙﹏⊙ I wish I had AHK in ubuntu to easily create my shortcut! Jan 10, 2019 at 5:49
22

Use lswitch.

Use any key to switch input languages, usage: lswitch [keycode]. Keycode is optional and defaults to context menu key. Another good candidate is a CapsLock key with a keycode of 20.

Cheers!

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  • 3
    Simplest solution. Mar 5, 2019 at 15:07
  • 4
    This works for English, German and/or Russian keyboard layouts or input languages as well. The only thing that reliably worked for me for decades already in any Windows version. Add a shortcut it to C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup with target "lswitch.exe 20" (no quotes) to run all the time. Grave Accent doesn't work for e.g. German layout.
    – Diego
    Feb 24, 2020 at 2:33
  • This is work great! Thanks so much.
    – nakorndev
    Jul 22, 2023 at 9:59
7

Punto Switcher can do this! http://punto.yandex.ru/win/

Basically it allows you to switch keyboard layout automatically, based on what you are typing. But it also can switch keyboard layouts on Caps Lock or many other keys. If don't like automatic switching you can turn it off in settings.

4
  • 3
    Dose it have an English version? Oct 23, 2012 at 7:50
  • 1
    Sorry, it seems that it's Russian only. Probably because it's main function is keyboard layout auto-switch (rus-en). Anyway, my answer can help Russian users.
    – icem
    Nov 3, 2012 at 18:50
  • 3
    too much functional for this task in this app.
    – kyb
    Oct 2, 2017 at 10:15
  • Still smaller then AHK though
    – Weirdei
    Jan 23, 2021 at 17:37
3

Around a year ago I switched from ReCaps to keyla and I am pretty much happy with it.

2
  • Skype 7.23 hangs when switching language via Caps Lock in Windows 10. May 19, 2016 at 12:11
  • Keyla site is die.
    – Monah Tuk
    Dec 15, 2016 at 4:30
1

I made it using PowerPro tool (as if it is constantly loaded already for other stuff) And now I achieve language change by tapping and CAPSLOCK via long press.

1

Use Capslang: simply download suitable exe and put it in folder

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

(to make it launch automatically when system starts)

0

You can easely (by changing first two lines to:

$~CapsLock::LangSwitch(1)
$~CapsLock up::LangSwitch(2)

) modify wOxxOm's Keyboard layout switcher for using Win+Space instead of right control. And it will work no matter which hotkeys are set up for switching layout in Windows (default is Alt+Shift, I'm using Ctrl+Shift).

Because of non-ahk-native switching (script uses WinAPI), whole script is rather bulky, so I didn't paste it inline. In case of autohotkey.com inaccessibility, here it is: http://pastebin.com/RayAw1VP

(again, all credits go to wOxxOm, source script is there: http://www.autohotkey.com/board/topic/24666-keyboard-layout-switcher/)

P.S. That script is quite old, and has hardcoded byte-offsets, so I'm not sure if it will work with 64-bit Autohotkey.exe or in 64-bit Windows. I only have 32-bit at hand.

P.P.S. This answer is nearly duplicate to another but questions are also nearly similar.

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