MacOS - Revision history

Johnno: /* Compose Key */

2026-02-26T11:05:46Z

Compose Key

Johnno: /* References */

2026-02-26T06:22:29Z

References

Johnno: Created page with "== Compose Key == # Install [https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ Karabiner-Elements], e.g. with brew install. # Fetch the large but comprehensive `DefaultKeyBinding.dic..."`


2026-02-26T06:20:27Z
Created page with "== Compose Key ==  # Install [https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ Karabiner-Elements], e.g. with brew install. # Fetch the large but comprehensive <code>DefaultKeyBinding.dic..."
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== Compose Key ==



# Install [https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ Karabiner-Elements], e.g. with brew install.

# Fetch the large but comprehensive <code>DefaultKeyBinding.dict</code> file from GitHub, [https://github.com/cmloegcmluin/compose2keybindings here]. This has all the X11 compose key mappings in it, plus a bunch of other nifty combinations.

#. Copy it into the <code>~/Library/KeyBindings</code> directory. You may have to create the directory first.

# In Karabiner-Elements under ''Settings → Simple Modifications'', add the following remapping rules for any USB keyboards:

#* left_command → left_alt

#* left_alt → left_command

#* right_alt → right_command

# In ''Settings → Complex Modifications'', Add the rule to rewrite the Right Command key (now mapped as Right Alt on USB keyboards) to Shift + Ctrl + F13. This rule should look like this:



 {

   "description": "Send Shift + Ctrl + F13 on Right Command to emulate Compose Key",

   "manipulators": [

     {

       "from": { "key_code": "right_gui" },

       "to": [

         {

           "key_code": "f13",

           "modifiers": ["left_control", "left_shift"],

           "repeat": false

         }

       ],

       "type": "basic"

     }

   ]

 }



# Possibly restart apps if they don’t immediately pick up changes.



=== References ===



# Goller, A (16 August 2022). [https://www.alexandergoller.com/journal/14210/compose-key-on-macos/ “Compose Key on MacOS”] (blog post), alexandergoller.com

# [https://genesy.github.io/karabiner-complex-rules-generator/#eyJ0aXRsZSI6IlJpZ2h0IENvbW1hbmQgdG8gU2hpZnQgKyBDdHJsICsgZjEzIiwicnVsZXMiOlt7ImRlc2NyaXB0aW9uIjoiU2VuZCBTaGlmdCArIEN0cmwgKyBmMTMgb24gUmlnaHQgQ29tbWFuZCB0byBlbXVsYXRlIENvbXBvc2UgS2V5IChodHRwOi8vbG9sZW5naW5lLm5ldC9ibG9nLzIwMTIvMDYvMTcvY29tcG9zZS1rZXktb24tb3MteCkiLCJtYW5pcHVsYXRvcnMiOlt7InR5cGUiOiJiYXNpYyIsImZyb20iOnsia2V5X2NvZGUiOiJyaWdodF9ndWkifSwidG8iOlt7InJlcGVhdCI6ZmFsc2UsImtleV9jb2RlIjoiZjEzIiwibW9kaWZpZXJzIjpbImxlZnRfY29udHJvbCIsImxlZnRfc2hpZnQiXX1dfV19XX0= “Send Shift + Ctrl + F13 on Right Command to emulate Compose Key”], Gene Sy:Karabiner Complex Rules Generator, via GitHub.

# However, Sam (17 June 2012). [https://web.archive.org/web/20211020080809/https://lolengine.net/blog/2012/06/17/compose-key-on-os-x “Setting up a real Compose key on Mac OS X”] (blog post), The Lol Engine ''(dead link; archived 20 October 2021 by The Internet Archive)''.

MacOS - Revision history

Johnno: /* Compose Key */

Johnno: /* References */

Johnno: Created page with "== Compose Key == # Install [https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ Karabiner-Elements], e.g. with brew install. # Fetch the large but comprehensive DefaultKeyBinding.dic..."

Johnno: Created page with "== Compose Key == # Install [https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ Karabiner-Elements], e.g. with brew install. # Fetch the large but comprehensive `DefaultKeyBinding.dic..."`