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MAGic Keyboard Manager Overview

Use the Keyboard Manager to

  • Assign keystrokes, or hot keys, to MAGic functions. Hot keys can be applied globally or to specific applications.
  • View current hot key assignments
  • Change or remove current hot key assignments
  • Restore default hot key assignments
  • Reassign keys on the MAGic Large Print Keyboard
  • Create shortcuts and associate hot keys to run programs, locate files, and open Web pages

To open the Keyboard Manager, choose the Tools menu, and then select Keyboard Manager. Below is a graphic and description of the Keyboard Manager dialog box.

This is a picture of the MAGic Keyboard Manager dialog box

  • Use the Applications list to select a specific program and view its associated functions and hot keys. These functions appear in the Action list, and the assigned hot keys appear in the Current Hot Keys list.
  • Use the Category list to further define functions such as magnification, speech, and navigation. By using both the Applications and Category lists, you can reduce the number of items in the Action list and make it more manageable. A brief explanation of the selected item appears below the Action list.
  • Choose Create Shortcut to make a shortcut that launches an application, opens files on your computer or network folder, or opens a favorite Web site. For example, you can assign the M1 key (available on the MAGic Large Print Keyboard) to open a document that you need to regularly access.
  • Finally, you can choose MAGic Key to change the modifier key (CAPS LOCK, ALT, SHIFT, CTRL, or WINDOWS Key) used to perform MAGic functions from the keyboard.

Assigning Hot Keys

To add a hot key, do the following:

  1. Use the Applications and Category lists to reduce the number of items in the Action list.
  2. Select an action in the Action list, and choose Assign Hot Key or press ALT+S. The Assign Hot Key dialog box opens.

Note: If a hot key is already assigned, it appears in the Current Hot Keys list.


  1. Press the combination of keys that you want to assign to the selected action. The key combination appears in the Assign To edit box. Choose OK to exit the dialog box and return to Keyboard Manager.

Note: When you assign hot keys to actions, it does not matter whether you press the right or left ALT, CTRL, or SHIFT key. However, you may want to use only the left or right key so that additional key combinations remain available.


  1. To specify the left or right ALT, CTRL, or SHIFT keys for a hot key, select the appropriate check boxes in the Differentiate Between group before you activate the Assign Hot Key button. For example, if you want to create a hot key that uses only the left ALT key, select the Left/Right Alt check box.

Note: The hot keys that you assign while these check boxes are selected will always require you to press the correct left or right key. If you later clear the check box, previously created hot keys still require you to use the correct left or right key.


  1. Choose OK or Apply to save the new hot key assignment.

To remove a hot key, do the following:

  • Select it in the Current Hot Keys list and choose Remove Hot Key or press ALT+R. Confirm that you want to delete the hot key.

To restore default hot keys, do the following:

  • Choose Restore Defaults or press ALT+D to return all hot key assignments to their original key combinations.

Creating Shortcuts

  1. Choose Create Shortcut or press ALT+O.
  2. In the Assign Hot Key edit field, press the key combination you want to use to activate the shortcut.
  3. Type the path to a file, program executable, or Web site address in the Location edit field.
    For example, C:\files\myfile.txt, or http://www.freedomscientific.com. Select the Browse button to search for the application or document you want to use if you do not know the direct path.
  4. Type a name for the shortcut in the Shortcut Name edit field. This name then appears in the Action list.

MAGic Large Print Keyboard

The MAGic Large Print Keyboard contains extra keys that are assigned to the most commonly used MAGic functions. These functions also appear in the Action list. When highlighted, an image of the key displays in the Keyboard Manager dialog box for easy identification. Also, in the Current Hot Keys list, the prefix Mk is used to identify a key’s default assignment. If you like, you can assign other functions to these keys. For example, if you do not use dual monitors, you can change the Jump to Next Display key to mute system sounds.

Windows Commands in the Action List

A list of standard Windows commands for Web browsers, media players, and other items are available in the MAGic Keyboard Manager. Select any command from the Windows Commands category and assign it a unique keystroke (hot key) for use with the MAGic Large Print Keyboard, or a standard computer keyboard. For example, you can assign ALT+SHIFT+B to the Browse Home action. When using your Web browser, press this hot key to return to your home page.

  • Browser Back. Opens the previous Web page in the Web browser.
  • Browser Favorites. Opens the list of Favorites in Internet Explorer or Bookmarks in Firefox.
  • Browser Forward. Opens the next Web page in the Web browser.
  • Browser Home. Opens your Web browser’s home page.
  • Browser Refresh. Refreshes (reloads) the current Web page.
  • Browser Stop. Terminates downloading of the current Web page or file in your Web browser.
  • Launch Calculator. Starts the Microsoft Calculator.
  • Launch Mail. Starts the default e-mail program.
  • Launch Media Player. Starts the default media player.
  • Launch My Computer. Starts My Computer, which gives access and information about your computer’s hardware.
  • Media Next Track. Moves to the next track in the media player.
  • Media Play/Pause. Switches between play and pause in the media player.
  • Media Previous Track. Moves to the previous track in the media player.
  • Media Stop. Stops the current track being played in the media player.
  • Microphone Mute. Mutes the microphone.
  • Microphone Volume Down. Decreases the microphone’s input volume level.
  • Microphone Volume Up. Increases the microphone’s input volume level.
  • Redo. Repeats the last action.
  • Search. Opens Windows Search so you can search for documents, e-mails, pictures, and other content on your computer.
  • Undo. Cancels the last action.
  • Volume Down. Decreases the playback volume level of the sound device.
  • Volume Mute. Mutes the playback volume of the sound device.
  • Volume Up. Increases the playback volume level of the sound device.

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