Intro:
One of the charming quirks of the HHKB (Happy Hacking Keyboard) is its minimalist layout. It trims away “unnecessary” keys like the dedicated function row, which is part of what makes it so compact and iconic. But for programmers and developers, losing quick access to F1–F12 can feel like a big trade-off — especially when debugging or working in IDEs that rely heavily on those keys.
Fortunately, if you’re on Windows, AutoHotkey (AHK) v2 gives you an easy way to bring the function row back without changing your keyboard. With just a small script, you can map simple key combinations (like Alt + number keys) to F1–F12.
The script:
Here’s the script you can copy into a new .ahk file:
#Requires AutoHotkey v2.0
!1::Send "{F1}"
!2::Send "{F2}"
!3::Send "{F3}"
!4::Send "{F4}"
!5::Send "{F5}"
!6::Send "{F6}"
!7::Send "{F7}"
!8::Send "{F8}"
!9::Send "{F9}"
!0::Send "{F10}"
!-::Send "{F11}"
!=::Send "{F12}"How it works:
The ! symbol means Alt.
So pressing Alt+1 sends F1, Alt+2 sends F2, and so on.
You also get Alt+0 → F10, Alt+- → F11, and Alt+= → F12.
Why This Helps HHKB Owners
On the HHKB, you can access F1–F12 using Fn + number row, but it’s not always the most ergonomic or intuitive, especially if you switch between different keyboards. With this AHK script, you’ll always have F1–F12 at your fingertips, no matter which HHKB model you use.
This is particularly useful if:
- You do a lot of debugging in Visual Studio Code, IntelliJ, or similar IDEs.
- You rely on F5, F9, or F12 for workflow shortcuts.
- You want a consistent Windows experience across compact keyboards.
Running It Automatically
To make sure your remaps are always available:
- Save the script as
hhkb_fkeys.ahk. - Place a shortcut to it in the Startup folder (
Win + R → shell:startup). - Next time you log in, the script will launch automatically.
Final Thoughts
The HHKB’s minimalist design is one of its biggest strengths, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice productivity. With a few lines of AutoHotkey, you can bring back the F-keys and keep your workflow smooth — whether you’re coding, debugging, or just using keyboard shortcuts in your daily apps.
For HHKB users on Windows, this little tweak strikes a perfect balance between compact design and full functionality.