Reassigning JAWS keystroke hot keys.

Ocasionally you might want to change, add, or remove a JAWS keystroke. yes, you can do it.
Many laptop JAWS users might need to customize JAWS keystrokes due to their particular laptop keyboard layout. perhaps your laptop keyboard doesn't have all of the function keys or, the Insert key is in an awkward place.

Say for example your laptop doesn't have an F12 key. this means you won't be able to use the Insert F12 keystroeke to have JAWS say the current time and date. And of course, ya gots to know what time it is!
Follow the steps below to reassign the JAWS keystroke used to have JAWS say the current time and date, from Insert F12, to Ctrl F11.

  1. Access the JAWS user interface with Insert J.
  2. Arrow down to Utilities and press Enter.
  3. Arrow down to Keyboard Manager and press Enter.
  4. The default JKM JAWS keyboard Manager will now be open. Press Tab to move to the list of available keystroke combinations.
    Note: There will be more than 600 available.
  5. Move down to the keystroek command called Say System Time.

    6. Note: the keystroek commands are listed alphabetically so you can press the letter S to move to the keyboard commands that begin with the letter S.
  6. Press the Applications key, then arrow down to the menu item called Change keystroke, and press Enter.
  7. You will now be prompted to assign the "hot key". This is an edit box ready for you to type a new keystroke combination.
    In this case, you could try using Ctrl F11. Then Tab to the Ok button and press Spacebar.
    Note: Leave the "laptop only" option checked, so that the keystroke change will only apply to the laptop keyboard layout, in case, for example, you ever use a full size USB keyboard.
  8. You will be asked to confirm the keystroke change. Focus will be on the "Ok" button, so simply press Spacebar.
  9. Close the Keyboard Manager with Alt F4. Your changes will save automatically, and you're done.

Tip: If you are wondering what keystroke combinations are useable, you can try using the Ctrl Alt combination followed by a number or function key, since these are not used by most other aplications.

Note: If the new keystroke you input is already taken, you will be asked if you want to overide it.

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