Where Hotkeys Live: Settings → Hotkeys
Every Capture2Text hotkey is user-configurable. Right-click the tray icon, choose Settings…, and open the Hotkeys tab. Each row is one action (standard capture, text line capture, forward text line, bubble capture, text direction, quick-access languages), and each has two dropdowns: the key and its modifiers (Win / Ctrl / Alt / Shift).
- Find the action you want to change.
- Pick a new key from the key dropdown and tick the modifier(s).
- Close Settings — the change takes effect immediately, no restart needed.
Disabling a Hotkey
Set any hotkey’s key dropdown to “<Unmapped>” to disable it entirely. Do this for capture modes you never use (many people disable Forward Text Line) or when another application must own that key combination.
Choosing Conflict-Free Hotkeys
Win+Q is the most likely default to clash — screenshot tools, clipboard managers and even Windows features fight over Win-key combos. Good practice:
- Keep one modifier you can reach with your left hand:
Ctrl+Alt+Q,Win+`,Ctrl+Shift+S. - Always include at least one modifier. A bare letter would trigger while you type.
- After remapping, test the new hotkey in two apps (e.g. a browser and Notepad) to be sure nothing else grabs it.
Backing Up Your Hotkey Layout
Hotkeys are stored in the settings .ini file — %appdata%\Capture2Text normally, or in the same folder as Capture2Text.exe when you launch with --portable. Copy that .ini to another machine (or your portable USB setup) and your exact hotkey layout comes with it. Deleting the .ini restores all defaults — handy if you paint yourself into a corner.
Beyond Remapping: Scripting Captures
Remapping covers the keyboard, but Capture2Text can also be driven from scripts: the Call Executable option (Settings → Output) runs any program after each capture, passing the OCR text as a variable — and Capture2Text_CLI.exe performs OCR entirely from the command line. See the AutoHotkey integration guide and the CLI manual. For the defaults themselves, see the hotkey reference, or return to all guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change the OCR hotkey in Capture2Text?
Right-click the tray icon, choose Settings, and open the Hotkeys tab. Click the dropdown for the action you want to change and select a new key plus modifier combination (e.g. Ctrl+Alt+Q). Changes apply immediately.
How do I disable a Capture2Text hotkey?
In Settings → Hotkeys, set the hotkey’s dropdown to “
Can I use a single key (no Win/Ctrl/Alt) as a hotkey?
The Hotkeys tab lets you pick a key and its modifiers from dropdowns. In practice, always include at least one modifier (Win, Ctrl, Alt or Shift) — a bare letter key would fire every time you type.
Where are custom hotkeys saved?
In the Capture2Text .ini settings file: %appdata%\Capture2Text by default, or next to Capture2Text.exe if you run with the –portable flag. You can back up or copy that file to move your hotkey layout to another PC.
Win+Q stopped working after a Windows update. What now?
Remap the capture hotkey to a combination no other app uses, e.g. Ctrl+Alt+Q or Win+`. Windows updates and other utilities (clipboard managers, screenshot tools) frequently claim Win+Q.
Can I trigger captures from my own scripts instead of hotkeys?
Yes — two routes: remap a hotkey to something your script can send, or use the command-line interface (Capture2Text_CLI.exe) from a batch file or AutoHotkey script. See the CLI manual and the AutoHotkey guide.