Setting up an Automation Palette for Your Keyboard
Productivity Tips for your Keyboard - Exploring Karabiner and LeaderKey
Hey there! If you’re into automation, keyboard shortcuts for productivity, and keyboard customization, you need to know about Karabiner and LeaderKey. I’ve mentioned both apps before in my newsletter, and I also wrote an article when I was just getting started with Karabiner and my NocFree-Lite keyboard. My setup has grown significantly, and I wanted to share something that perhaps is more accessible for beginners and easier to setup.
This new video focuses specifically on creating a “command palette” for system automations and triggering actions. The video doesn’t cover my entire keyboard setup, but it shows you some practical ways to speed up your interactions across your system. Watch below and continue reading for more practical tips.
Resources
Check this link for all the apps, tools, and resources mentioned in the video.
Start Simple
Let me give you a few tips if you are interested in setting up something like this in LeaderKey. One of the best ways to kick things off is by sticking to the basics. You can begin with the built-in actions.
These include actions like:
Opening Applications
Opening Folders
Opening URLs (websites or URL schemes)
Executing shell commands
These are super straightforward and easy to implement, making them a great first step.
Your Hand Position
When you’re setting up your groups and actions, consider how you position your hands while typing or using your mouse. Here’s what I mean:
If you’re opening an app that requires dragging around (like CleanShot), you can set your actions for the last half of your keyboard. That way your right hand doesnt even need to move away from the mouse.
For actions where where you’ll typically be typing (like automations for text formatting/transformations) – you can assign these to the left or right side of the keyboard since you won’t be using the mouse as much.
Key Letter Associations
Let me share my personal approach to setting up letter associations. On my Karabiner setup I have the letter F as a layer for some of my favorite Finder folders - this makes it simple to remember. For the actual actions that will open folders, I typically use their first letter: A for Applications, D for Desktop. For folders that start with the same letter (like Desktop and Dropbox), I assign the most-used folder to the “parent” letter (D) and use another logical letter for the second one. So, for example, I open my Desktop in a Finder window by pressing F + D. If I want to open the Dropbox folder, I do it with F + R. This system creates a natural, easy-to-recall pattern.
For applications, I organize them by their names instead of categories. Every app goes under its first letter: Photoshop, Photo Mechanic, and Photos all live under P. My most-used apps get special treatment - I trigger them with the same letter twice. So pressing P twice might open Photoshop if that’s my go-to photo editor. Then I can use P + M for Photo Mechanic, or P + H for the official Photos app.
Sometimes I create visual associations too. The letter V reminds me of an arrow pointing down, so I use it to pin screenshots to my desktop (as you saw on the video). The key is creating associations that click with your brain. They should feel logical and natural to you, making them easier to remember and use in your daily workflow.
Explore URL Schemes
URL schemes offer a powerful yet simple way to automate tasks without exhausting your custom keyboard shortcuts. Here are a few pointers:
Do a bit of research to find which of your apps have URL schemes. For instance, CleanShot has one, while others like Dropover do not.
You can also create automations for apps without URL schemes. I do this a lot with Alfred and Keyboard Maestro, as shown on my Dropover video.
Most automation tools—like Keyboard Maestro, Alfred, or BetterTouchTool—can be triggered using URL schemes. This can streamline your actions and avoid conflicts, compared to relying on keyboard shortcuts.
Keyboard Shortcuts & Mappings
Triggering actual keyboard shortcuts will often be my very last resort in my Karabiner setup. LeaderKey doesn’t currently supports this but perhaps at some point it will be implemented. The real magic with Karabiner, however, is its deep integration in the system. This takes keyboard remapping and keyboard customization to a whole new level. This allows me to have a numpad layer, or my modifiers on my home row for easy text navigation, and crazy stuff like that.
For apps with limited url-scheme options, I create simple Karabiner mappings to replace complex key combinations. This makes hard-to-remember shortcuts more intuitive. If you go the LeaderKey route, you can achieve something similar through Keyboard Maestro. Create a macro that simulates key presses, get its URL scheme, and add it to LeaderKey. This method lets you trigger complex shortcuts through easy-to-remember groups/actions commands.
Final Thoughts
I hope these ideas spark your creativity in building a custom command/actions palette to speed up your daily workflow. This guide covers just a small slice of what Karabiner can do but this approach has already made an incredible impact on my own productivity.
Don’t forget to check the resources link for all the apps and tools mentioned, including my Karabiner configuration. Thanks for reading!
If you found this article helpful, I’d be incredibly grateful if you could support me by buying me a coffee over at THIS LINK. Your generosity would mean the world to me.
If you liked this you may also enjoy some content I have up on my YT Channel! I don’t hang around social media a lot, but when I do I’m on IG or Twitter. You can also check out some of my online classes, listen to my music, or in case you haven’t already, subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Thank you for reading!