QMK and ZMK can support pointing devices. ZGM exists because “supporting a pointer” and “being a complete gaming-mouse platform” are different things.
A modern gaming mouse needs a sensor-first data path, deterministic click and motion reporting, device-and-receiver firmware,… pic.twitter.com/vwpbnZwcAZ
Built on Zephyr RTOS, it appears to be developed as a common platform for gaming mice that can handle low-latency input processing, wired/wireless connectivity, sensors, buttons, scroll wheels, and more.
The official release is planned for Q1 2027.
The first model to ship with this firmware will likely be the “T1 HE,” which had already run a crowdfunding campaign in Japan—probably even before the G6 HE, in our view.
For the “Keychron T1 HE,” the adoption of the ZGM firmware had already been announced.
Up to now, what Keychron has mainly opened up as open source has been product-specific firmware for QMK-based keyboards and VIA definitions.
In 2026, it also published its hardware designs, but those are source-available with commercial duplication restricted, and are limited to community enjoyment.
This time, ZGM—where Keychron itself aims to publish a common firmware platform for mice (not keyboards) under the GPL—can be seen as a step further than before.
Taking what it gained from the culture of DIY keyboards and input devices into commercial products, then returning the results of that development back to the community in a usable form.
ZGM might become the foundation that creates that cycle.
The main directions ZGM is aiming for are as follows:
Low-latency input processing
Customizing button and click behavior
Optical sensor configuration and readout
Scroll wheel control
Support for RGB and status lights
Support for wired and wireless connections
Battery and power consumption management
A modular design that can support multiple hardware platforms
An environment where the community can participate in development and validation
The license used is “GPL-3.0.”
After release, you’ll be able not only to review the source code, but also to modify and redistribute it, and contribute to the project in accordance with the license terms.
Keychron explains ZGM as a project to extend the open-source input-device culture that spread through keyboards to mice.
Why build a mouse-specific platform instead of QMK or ZMK?
In the keyboard space, open-source firmware like QMK and ZMK is widely used.
QMK and ZMK also have features for handling pointing devices.
However, supporting pointer operation and controlling an entire modern gaming mouse may not be the same thing.
With gaming mice, it seems there are many requirements beyond moving the cursor, such as controlling HE switches.
Like ZMK, ZGM is based on Zephyr RTOS, and is said to aim for a structure that treats various settings as independent layers, making it easy to swap and extend per hardware.
It seems they’re trying to build a common platform designed for gaming mice from the ground up, rather than bolting mouse features onto keyboard firmware.
Kawamura
This gets quite technical, so for details, we’d appreciate it if you could check GitHub.
From publishing hardware designs to publishing firmware
Keychron has long published firmware and JSON files for QMK/VIA-compatible keyboards on GitHub.
In April 2026, it also published hardware design files for 83 keyboard and mouse models—over 640 items.
However, these hardware design files are not, strictly speaking, open source in the general sense.
They can be used for personal use, education, non-commercial modifications, and designing compatible accessories, but there are restrictions on manufacturing and selling Keychron products themselves or effectively identical replicas.
Keychron itself describes this not as “open source” but as “source-available.”
Meanwhile, ZGM uses the open-source license GPL-3.0.
With the hardware designs, it opened up a range that can be used for learning, modding, and developing compatible accessories, while preventing duplication of its own products.
With ZGM, it goes a step further and is trying to publish the firmware platform that runs input devices itself as open source.
While the release conditions differ, both share the same direction: not just selling a finished product and calling it done, but creating room for new development and customization around it.
Returning what commercial products achieve back to the community
At Greenkeys, we previously used the Keychron Orca echo as a theme to think about connecting ideas nurtured in DIY keyboard culture to commercial products.
Split layouts, column stagger, layer operations, thumb trackballs.
These ways of thinking weren’t suddenly created by a specific product or manufacturer.
They’ve been nurtured through a long accumulation of trial and error by individual developers and the DIY keyboard community.
Because of that, when commercial products adopt input experiences grown in DIY culture, some people may view it as “just using the community’s ideas.”
That said, commercialization and the community aren’t necessarily in conflict.
Mass-produced products can deliver new input experiences to many people, and those products can spark broader interest in DIY keyboards and individually designed devices.
And then, the technologies and platforms gained through commercial product development can be returned in a form the community can reuse.
If that kind of cycle is created, manufacturers won’t just be entities that take ideas from the community.
Not only the ZGM firmware, but also making it easy to use the Keychron Launcher system based on Keychron’s own ZMK firmware could have major significance for this cycle.
Summary
That’s our update on the release of the ZGM firmware.
The official release is planned for Q1 2027.
Personally, I hope this open-sourcing trend—including this firmware—continues to expand, and grows into a common platform used not only for DIY mice, trackballs, and keyboards, but also for new input devices from small makers.
Will Keychron’s vision of “expanding open-source input-device culture from keyboards to mice” truly lead to a meaningful return to the community?
It’s something we’ll keep following.
First published: July 30, 2026
Last updated: July 30, 2026
Research method: Official social media posts
References / sources: Official SNS posts
Conflicts of Interest: Product Offering: None Monetization Link in this paper: None
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