KeyCue gives you flexible control over how you activate and use it. In the Activation section of the settings, you can define different triggers and link them to specific actions.
Triggers
You can set KeyCue to open using:
Modifier key combinations like Shift, Control, Option, Command, or Fn, held for a set duration.
Double-press actions — for example, pressing the Option or Command key twice.
Clicks on the KeyCue icon in the menu bar, including short clicks, long presses, or right-clicks. You can also combine these with modifier keys for custom activation.
If two triggers conflict (for example, using the same key combo), KeyCue highlights them with a red border so you can adjust your settings. You can also enable or disable individual triggers to test your setup or avoid overlaps.
Actions
Each trigger can perform a specific action, such as:
Displaying a shortcut table (menu shortcuts, system-wide shortcuts, or macro hotkeys).
Showing a table of emojis, allowing quick insertion into any text field.
Opening a list of favorite URLs — you can edit and personalize this list anytime.
Displaying files from a folder to quickly open documents, apps, or folders directly from KeyCue.
Inserting Typinator abbreviations from selected sets.
Showing recent or favorite PopChar characters for quick access.
Opening the KeyCue Settings window or menu for quick actions like updates or quitting the app.
Hands-Free mode
For tables like shortcuts or URLs, you can choose whether the window closes automatically or stays open in hands-free mode. When this mode is enabled, you can release the keys, browse the table freely, and close it manually by pressing ESC or selecting an item.