The macro pad is my existing numpad, with no extra hardware: NumLock is the switch. With NumLock off, the numpad stops typing numbers and becomes a layer for moving around my computer. With NumLock on, it’s a normal numpad again. The tray icon shows which mode it’s in: a grey ring with a “1” for numbers, a blue ring with a pink “CTRL” for the shortcut layer.
Click NumLock and the Shift keys to see how the pad changes. The dashed group is 1 to 6, which all do the same job: the plain key opens that browser tab, and with Right Shift it focuses that app.
Click NumLock or a Shift key to hold it. Click again to let go.
The numpad layer lives in one AutoHotkey script that runs all day, alongside everything else I’ve automated:
Short codes for dates, Markdown links, status emoji, stars, signatures and contact details.
#td→[[2026-10-23]]#daytime→23.10.26 (14:05)#time→14:05#link→[link](…clipboard…)#merge→commit, create a PR, merge, push#star1→⭒#star2→✦#star3→✧#star4→⟡#star5→⚜#done→✅#todo→⏹️#fail→❌#wait→⌛#important→‼️#??→❓#AI→🤖#crab→🦀#check→✔Arrows, comparison signs, guillemets and Spanish marks, typed with short sequences. Alt + , . - gives < > |.
->→→==>→⇒<=→≤>=→≥/=→≠~=→≈<<→«>>→»,?→¿,!→¡Blocks every mouse input, trackpad and external mouse, so I can type without a palm moving the cursor. Needs admin rights.
Opens a new Edge window at a fixed size. The script catches the window while it is still hidden, so it never visibly resizes.
Two single keys for places I open constantly. Hold Shift for the normal key.
The script reloads itself every four hours. I moved it from AutoHotkey v1 to v2 in August 2026.
[How long you’ve used it, and what changed how you work]
[What you’d add next]