# Mac V2

> Capslock Enhancement Mac V2, the 2017–2021 Karabiner-Elements rules that made Caps Lock Escape on a tap and Hyper on a hold.

---

LLMS index: [llms.txt](/llms.txt)

---

> [!WARNING] Archived, not maintained
> Mac V2 was written for Karabiner-Elements on macOS 10.11 El Capitan, 10.12
> Sierra and 10.13 High Sierra, the systems its README listed. It was replaced
> by [Mac V3](/docs/karabiner/getting-started/) in 2021 and has not been checked
> against current macOS or Karabiner-Elements.

Mac V2 was the first Capslock edition for Karabiner-Elements, the rewrite of
Karabiner that macOS Sierra required. It is a set of ten complex-modification
rules. A tap on Caps Lock sends Escape. Holding it turns it into **Hyper**
(`✱`): Karabiner-Elements holds the four right-hand modifiers, ⌃ ⌥ ⇧ ⌘,
together, so Hyper still combines with the left-hand ones and most apps accept
it.

![The Mac V2 layout drawn on a full keyboard, with the action of each key under Hyper](/img/karabiner/archive/mac-v2-keyboard.webp)
{width="1584" height="638" caption="The layout diagram from the V2 README. A few app keys in it differ from the tables on this page, which follow the rule file."}

## Caps Lock {#caps}

| Key | Result |
| :--- | :--- |
| Tap Caps Lock | Escape |
| Hold Caps Lock | Hyper (`✱`), the right-hand ⌃ ⌥ ⇧ ⌘ held together |
| `✱` Escape | Caps Lock. The README notes a bug: Caps Lock was hard to turn off again |

## Navigation {#navigation}

Hyper alone moves the cursor. Adding one left-hand modifier selects instead,
moves the pointer, switches tabs and apps, or works with Spaces.

| Key | `✱` move | `✱ ⌘` select | `✱ ⌥` pointer | `✱ ⇧` switch | `✱ ⌃` Spaces |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| H | ← | ⇧← | Pointer left | Previous tab (⌃⇧Tab) | Space to the left (⌃←) |
| J | ↓ | ⇧↓ | Pointer down | Next app (⌘Tab) | Windows of the current app (⌃↓) |
| K | ↑ | ⇧↑ | Pointer up | Previous app (⇧⌘Tab) | Mission Control (⌃↑) |
| L | → | ⇧→ | Pointer right | Next tab (⌃Tab) | Space to the right (⌃→) |
| U | Page Up | ⇧Page Up | — | — | — |
| I | Home | ⇧Home | — | — | — |
| O | End | ⇧End | — | — | — |
| P | Page Down | ⇧Page Down | — | — | — |
{.matrix .wide}

## Mouse {#mouse}

| Key | Result |
| :--- | :--- |
| `✱` ← ↓ ↑ → | Move the pointer, like `✱ ⌥` H J K L |
| `✱` Return | Left click |
| `✱ ⌘` Return | Right click |

## Deleting {#deletion}

| Key | Sends | Deletes |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `✱` N | ⌥⌫ | The word before the cursor |
| `✱` M | ⌫ | The character before the cursor |
| `✱` , | ⌦ | The character after the cursor |
| `✱` . | ⌥⌦ | The word after the cursor |
| `✱ ⌘` N, `✱ ⌘` M | ⌘⌫ | Back to the start of the line |

## Windows and tabs {#windows}

| Key | Sends | Result |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `✱` Tab | ⌘Tab | Next app |
| `✱ ⌘` Tab | ⇧⌘Tab | Previous app |
| `✱` Q | ⌘Q | Quit the app |
| `✱` W | ⌘W | Close the tab |
| `✱` S | ⌃Tab | Next tab |
| `✱ ⌘` S | ⌃⇧Tab | Previous tab |
| `✱` A | ⌃⌥⇧⌘A | Left free for the window manager [Moom](https://manytricks.com/moom/) |
| `✱ ⌘` A | ⌃↑ | Mission Control |

## Terminal keys {#terminal}

| Key | Sends | Used for |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `✱` Z | ⌃Z | Suspend the job (SIGTSTP) |
| `✱` X | ⌃R | Run, in IDEs |
| `✱` C | ⌃C | Interrupt (SIGINT) |
| `✱` V | ⌃V | Vim prefix |
| `✱` B | ⌃B | The default [tmux](https://github.com/tmux/tmux) prefix |
| `✱` D | ⌃D | End of input (EOF) |

## Apps {#apps}

The README suggested replacing these with your own favourite apps.

| Key | `✱` | `✱ ⌘` |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| E | Safari | Finder |
| R | iTerm2 | Preview |
| T | Visual Studio Code | Typora |
| D | ⌃D (see above) | Dictionary |
| F | ⌃⌥⇧⌘F, left free for Alfred | Dash |
| G | IntelliJ IDEA | Google Chrome |
{.matrix .wide}

## Function keys {#function-keys}

V2 expected F1 to F12 to act as standard function keys and used Hyper to get
the printed functions back. On a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, the README
suggested turning on Karabiner-Elements › Function Keys › "Use all F1, F2, etc.
keys as standard function keys".

| Key | `✱` | Key | `✱` |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| F1 | Brightness down | F7 | Previous track |
| F2 | Brightness up | F8 | Play or pause |
| F3 | Mission Control | F9 | Next track |
| F4 | Launchpad | F10 | Mute |
| F5 | Keyboard backlight down | F11 | Volume down |
| F6 | Keyboard backlight up | F12 | Volume up |
{.matrix .wide}

Keys found on full-size keyboards:

| Key | `✱` |
| :--- | :--- |
| F13 (Print Screen) | Previous track |
| F14 (Scroll Lock) | Next track |
| F15 (Pause) | Mute |
| Insert, Delete | Brightness up, down, in fine steps |
| Home, End | Keyboard backlight up, down, in fine steps |
| Page Up, Page Down | Volume up, down, in fine steps |

## Shifted symbols {#shifter}

| Key | `✱` types |
| :--- | :--- |
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 | ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) |
| - = | _ + |
| [ ] | ( ) |
| ; | ! |
| ' | = |
| `✱ ⌘` ; | : |
| `✱ ⌘` ' | = |

The last four rows make `!=` and `:=` quick to type.

## Other keys {#misc}

| Key | Sends | Result |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `✱` \` | ⌃⇧⌘4 | Screenshot of an area, to the clipboard |
| `✱ ⌘` \` | ⇧⌘4 | Screenshot of an area, to a file |
| `✱` Delete | ⌘⌫ | Move to Trash in Finder |
| `✱` / and `✱` \\ | ⌘/ | Comment or uncomment, in many editors |
| `✱` Space | ⌃Space | Switch input source |

## How it was installed {#install}

These are the steps from the V2 README, kept for the record.

1. Download and install [Karabiner-Elements](https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/).
2. Import the rules by opening this address in Safari:
   ```text
   karabiner://karabiner/assets/complex_modifications/import?url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Vonng/Capslock/main/mac_v2/capslock.json
   ```
   Or copy `capslock.json` into
   `~/.config/karabiner/assets/complex_modifications/`, which is what
   `make install` in the `mac_v2` folder does.
3. In Karabiner-Elements, open the Complex Modifications tab, click **Add
   Item**, and enable the rules you want.
4. To change the apps or any other key, edit the imported file in
   `~/.config/karabiner/assets/complex_modifications/`.
{.steps}

> [!NOTE]
> The README's own import link pointed at the repository's `mac/` folder, which
> now holds V3, and its second link pointed at the Karabiner-Elements gallery,
> which also lists V3 today. The address above points at the V2 file.

## Files {#files}

All of V2 is in [`mac_v2/`](https://github.com/Vonng/Capslock/tree/main/mac_v2)
in the repository.

| File | What it is |
| :--- | :--- |
| [`capslock.json`](https://github.com/Vonng/Capslock/blob/main/mac_v2/capslock.json) | The ten V2 rules, ready to import |
| [`karabiner.json`](https://github.com/Vonng/Capslock/blob/main/mac_v2/karabiner.json) | A complete Karabiner-Elements configuration with the same rules. `make all` copies it over `~/.config/karabiner/karabiner.json` and replaces your existing settings |
| [`makefile`](https://github.com/Vonng/Capslock/blob/main/mac_v2/makefile) | The `install` and `all` targets described above |
| [`README.md`](https://github.com/Vonng/Capslock/blob/main/mac_v2/README.md) | The original V2 documentation |

## Differences from V3 {#v3}

- **Planes.** V2 combined Hyper with one left-hand modifier at a time, which
  gave it only a few planes. V3 combines Hyper with any of the four left-hand
  modifiers, for up to 16 planes.
- **Changed keys.** In V3.1, F13 and F14 control screenshots instead of the
  previous and next track, `✱ ⌘` D runs Define instead of opening
  Dictionary, and Spotlight replaces Launchpad.

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Backlinks:

- [Karabiner Edition](/docs/karabiner/)
- [Earlier versions](/docs/karabiner/archive/)
- [Mac V1](/docs/karabiner/archive/mac-v1/)