AutoHotkey
FreeBind any repetitive task to a single hotkey
An automation scripting language for Windows. Remap keys and mouse buttons, define global hotkeys, fill forms automatically, manipulate windows in bulk, and compress a tedious sequence of steps into one keystroke. Scripts can be compiled into standalone executables. The installer is about 3 MB.
Why we picked it
Clicking the same five buttons every day, pasting one block of text into three places, a Caps Lock key you never use but keep hitting, wanting a window to stay always on top — individually none of these justify effort, and collectively they are dozens of small frictions a day.
AutoHotkey is the general-purpose answer on Windows. 12,939 stars, GPL-2.0, a 3 MB installer, and what you get is a scripting engine.
The simplest use is one line. Turning Caps Lock into Escape:
CapsLock::Esc
Or opening Notepad with Win+N:
#n::Run "notepad.exe"
Beyond that it is a complete scripting language with variables, loops, conditionals, functions and regular expressions, able to read and write files, manipulate windows (move, pin, hide, find by title), simulate keyboard and mouse input, read the clipboard, call Windows APIs and build GUIs. Common real uses include:
- Text expansion: type
;addrand get a full address (though for pure text expansion, Espanso is more purpose-built and cross-platform). - Bulk operations: resize and reposition a set of windows uniformly, or drive a fixed sequence through some legacy application.
- Gaming and drawing aids: map complex key combinations onto single keys (note that some online games prohibit such tools).
- Filling in what the OS lacks: always-on-top windows, fine volume control, quick audio output switching.
To be clear about:
- Windows only. That is its purpose; the macOS equivalents are Hammerspoon or Keyboard Maestro, and Linux has AutoKey and similar.
- v1 and v2 syntax are incompatible. A great deal of online tutorials and ready-made scripts are v1, while the current line is v2 (v2.0.26), and the differences are substantial. Learn v2 directly, and check the version label when hunting for scripts — v1 scripts will not run.
- Antivirus false positives happen. Simulating input and compiling to an executable overlaps with malware capability, so some scanners flag it. Download from the official site and never run an unknown .ahk script — someone else's script can do anything you can do.
- It is not for complete non-programmers. A simple remap is one line, but anything more involved requires basic programming concepts.
In short: if any Windows task is something you repeat daily, an hour learning the basics usually pays for itself within days.