How do I make Mac OS X remember "Modifier Keys" remappings for my external keyboard?

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(to be clear, I know there are similar questions such as "How can I remap windows and alt keys in OS X?" - I'm not asking that. I can make the changes I want, they just get reset every time I unplug the keyboard)

So: Mac OS 10.6.5 on a MacBook Pro, with a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 plugged in via a USB hub, along with other peripherals.

I want to switch the Alt and Windows keys, so their positions match that on the MBP's keyboard (Win key works as Command key with the Mac).

Sys Prefs / Keyboard / Modifier Keys does the job, until I unplug things to work elsewhere. Come back, plug the USB hub in as before, and my Option/Command swap has been forgotten.

Any suggestions as to how to get Mac OS to remember the swap?

Update:

The problem has vanished for me under OS X Lion. Same hardware, same hub, all of the modifiers are remembered.

Paul Roub

Posted 2010-11-19T13:40:16.487

Reputation: 267

1It's always the same USB port? – Daniel Beck – 2010-11-19T16:39:47.107

Yep. The keyboard never leaves the hub, and the hub always lands in the same USB port on the MacBook. – Paul Roub – 2010-11-19T17:12:43.463

Have you tried plugging it in directly (no hub)? Does it also lose its settings then when reconnecting? – Daniel Beck – 2010-11-19T18:14:19.533

All good without the hub, so I do have that workaround. Should have mentioned that earlier. – Paul Roub – 2010-11-19T18:50:58.863

Have you tried a different hub? What happens when you unplug the keyboard from the hub, leave the hub connected, and then reconnect the keyboard to the hub, same port? – Daniel Beck – 2010-11-19T22:09:40.253

Also, if responding to a comment, please add @Username (e.g. @Daniel Beck) to your reply. Only then the user (i.e. me) gets notified. – Daniel Beck – 2010-11-20T00:09:03.010

Ten years later, same issue reappears. Does not seem to be fixed by an update though. Todays Apple simply ignores the issue and hopes that the users are too stupid or need no pro-features – Julian F. Weinert – 2019-05-05T10:47:20.613

Answers

16

This appears to be an issue for a lot of people, including me. The apple support forums seem to have the same conclusion that this is some kind of bug with Mac OS X and usb hubs:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2364069?threadID=2364069&tstart=0

Their suggestion is to plug the keyboard in directly to the Mac.

I've starting using KeyRemap4MacBook to deal with this issue. What you can do is tell it to remap command to option and option to command for ONLY external keyboards and any non apple external device.

Jack Chu

Posted 2010-11-19T13:40:16.487

Reputation: 477

1+1 for KeyRemap4MacBook (now called Karabiner). I'm using the MS Natural Ergo 4000 keyboard with Mac os X El Capitan, and my settings in Preferences->Keyboard->Modifier Keys are ignored. Karabiner (combined with Seil, another app by pqrs) is effective in changing my modifier keys. – dinosaur – 2016-09-08T17:17:43.627

Asked: 2010-11-19T13:40:16.487

Viewed: 7 678 times

Active: 2011-08-03T14:22:34.660