Whether you’re using an Orca echo or not, using a small keyboard means you’ll need to find a keymap that works for you.
One of the Orca echo’s major distinguishing features is that it comes with a default keymap and matching keycaps, designed in line with its creator’s intentions.
For those new to small keyboards, learning this as their “default” could be a perfectly good option.
However, looking at the default keymaps of many small keyboards, including custom-built ones, reveals that the Orca echo’s default keymap has some different characteristics.
In this article, we’ll suggest a keymap for those who want to learn a layout closer to that of a conventional keyboard, rather than using the Orca echo’s default keymap.
A keymap based on a “regular keyboard” that keeps switching costs low
A defining feature of small keyboards, especially those with a 40% layout, is that they omit the number row and keys on the right-hand side.
In other words, the key to designing a keymap is deciding how to arrange the keys that have been omitted.
Of course, if the default settings work well for you, there’s no need to change them.
At the same time, part of the fun of small-keyboard keymaps is making them your own over time.
Greenkeys OfficeHere, we’ll introduce the approach to keymaps that our editorial team uses.
Keymap overview
First, let’s compare a standard row-staggered 65% layout (English layout), which is generally considered to be about the minimum number of keys, with a 40% keymap designed by our editorial team.
As you can see, compared with a standard keymap, it has fewer keys in the number row and on the right-hand side.
In short, the keymap’s central idea is deciding how to place the keys missing from the “base layer” onto the “secondary layers.”
A secondary layer is a layer you can type on after pressing a “layer key” to switch to another layer.
In the 40% keymap above, some keys share the functions of Space and Backspace with layer keys. Holding one of these keys temporarily switches to its assigned layer; the switch lasts only while the key is held.
Greenkeys OfficeA setting that outputs different keys depending on how long a key is pressed is called an “X-tap.” Here, since the key is assigned to a layer, it’s called a “layer-tap.”
The “low-switching-cost keymap” proposed here is based on placing the number row on the Q and A rows directly below it.
Number row placement
The number row sits above the Q row.
Each number key has a corresponding sublayer, and pressing Shift at the same time outputs the corresponding symbol.
In the keymap proposed here, holding a layer key makes the Q row function as a “number row.”
Likewise, the A row functions as a “Shift + number” row.
Compared with a regular keyboard, entering numbers requires holding down a layer key, adding one more action.
By contrast, symbols entered with Shift+number are mapped to the layer key+A-row keys, so the keypress action itself remains the same.
This makes the number row easier to remember by relating its position to the Q and A rows.
Symbol Placement
The keys omitted from the right-hand side are also placed on the secondary layer (Layer 1).
Since the Q and A rows are already occupied by the number keys and Shift+number keys, these keys go on the right-hand side of the Z row.
However, to enter the character produced by Shift+symbol for a symbol key on Layer 1 (for example, “_” with the “-” key), you need to hold Shift as well while on the secondary layer.
Greenkeys OfficeThe left Shift key on Layer 1 follows the base layer (Layer 0).
So here, hold the left-hand layer key, press the left Shift key with your left pinky, then press the “-” key to enter “_”.
If you have long thumbs, you could also hold the Shift key to the right of the left-hand layer key at the same time.
Shortcuts, Too
If you can customize your keymap, you’ll probably want to assign shortcut keys as well.
In this keymap, frequently used shortcuts that work across apps are placed to match the letter keys on the base layer.
- Cmd+X — Cut
- Cmd+C — Copy
- Cmd+V — Paste
You could also assign Undo to Cmd+Z.
Greenkeys OfficeOur editorial team rarely uses Undo, so we assign the region screenshot shortcut to the Z position instead.
We also place Backspace at the B position so it’s available after using the mouse with the right hand to move the cursor to the end of text you want to delete.
This can reduce the right hand’s double task of operating the trackball and pressing a key.
Shortcut Configuration Examples
| Action | Mac Setup | Windows Setup |
|---|---|---|
| Copy | Command+C | Ctrl+C |
| Cut | Command+X | Ctrl+X |
| Paste | Command+V | Ctrl+V |
| Region screenshot (save to file) | Shift+Command+4 | Press Shift+Windows+S and select a region |
| Region screenshot (copy to clipboard) | Control+Shift+Command+4 | Press Shift+Windows+S and select a region |
How to Configure Simultaneous Keypresses
| Action | Keycode to Enter in Any |
|---|---|
| Mac: Shift+Command+4 | LSFT(LGUI(KC_4)) |
| Mac: Control+Shift+Command+4 | LCTL(LSFT(LGUI(KC_4))) |
| Windows: Shift+Windows+S | LSFT(LGUI(KC_S)) |
In the current version of Keychron Launcher, to configure a simultaneous press of two or more modifier keys plus a letter key, you need to select “Any” and then enter a command.
Greenkeys OfficeThere may be another way, but the editorial team has not tested it.
References: Microsoft Japanese IME / Using Microsoft IME with an English layout / Windows region screenshots / Mac screenshots
Arrow Keys and Other Key Placements
The arrow keys are on the right-hand side of Layer 2.
To use them, hold the Layer 2 key assigned to the right thumb on Layer 0 (which doubles as Backspace), use the “J” key at the right-hand home position as a reference, and press the arrow keys arranged in an inverted T.
Greenkeys OfficeBecause the homing key on J helps you identify “left,” it is easier to use the arrow keys without getting confused.
The left-hand side also has keys for toggling the IME and for “Esc.”
Mouse Click Buttons on Layer 0
The editorial team turns off the Auto Mouse Layer feature, which automatically switches layers while the trackball is moving, and assigns left-click to Layer 0.
This is because you cannot always click a mouse button at the moment the layer switches during mouse use.
Other Controls
- Screen scrolling | Vertical scrolling is assigned to the left-hand rotary encoder on Layer 0. Horizontal scrolling is assigned to the same control on Layer 2.
- Pad | Unused. Scrolling was assigned to it, but its response felt a beat slower than the rotary encoder, so it is not used. Touch-based mouse clicking is also turned off because accidental contact can cause unintended clicks. (It is enabled in the keymap image.)
- Trackball | Used for cursor control only. Track scrolling switches only while the “scroll button” is held and is not linked to the layer key, so it is not used. Many keyboards with trackballs have a setting that links the layer key to track scrolling (a scroll-layer setting), so the editorial team has requested an improvement on this point. Actions triggered by operating the ball have not yet been tested.
OS Language Recognition Is One Challenge
The Orca echo is designed around an English layout, and all of its key legends follow that layout.
However, the keyboard layout that the OS recognizes depends on its settings.
This is especially relevant when using Windows in Japanese: unless you change a setting, a connected keyboard will be recognized as a Japanese layout.
As a result, when you connect the Orca echo to Windows, the key outputs are likely to differ from the printed legends.
On Windows set up for Japanese, specific settings are needed to make Orca echo recognized as an English-layout keyboard, making it difficult to use alongside Japanese-layout keyboards.
● How to set up a US keyboard in Windows 11
https://happyhackingkb.com/jp/life/hhkb_life41.html
- In Windows Settings, select Time & language, then click Language & region
- Under Preferred languages, click the “…” to the right of Japanese, then click Language options
- To the right of “Keyboard layout:”, click “Change layout”
- Under “Change hardware keyboard layout,” select “English keyboard (101/102 key)” and restart your PC
Greenkeys OfficeTo avoid this situation, the editorial team uses the USkey2JP app. It is recognized as an English-layout keyboard only while the program is running.
Since it does not need to be installed, it may also be usable on company computers with strict security restrictions.
On a Mac, by contrast, it is recognized as an “English layout” keyboard when connected.
To have it recognized as a Japanese-layout keyboard on a Mac, assign the “Z” and “Ro” keys to Layer 0, then open the “Change Keyboard Type” menu.
In the Keyboard Setup Assistant, press “Z” and “Ro” when prompted to identify the keyboard, then restart. It will be recognized as a Japanese-layout keyboard.
Greenkeys OfficeHowever, this method has not been tested on other Macs, so its reproducibility is unverified.
Also, if you plan to use the keyboard with a Japanese layout, remember to change the language in Keychron Launcher from “English” to “日本語” before configuring the keymap.
| Use case | OS layout | Launcher display and symbol settings |
|---|---|---|
| Use the number and symbol mappings in this article | Set it to use an English (US) layout | Select English (US) for the display, then configure it using the diagrams |
| Keep it recognized as a Japanese-layout keyboard | Keep it set to Japanese (JIS) | Match the Japanese display and reassign the necessary symbols |
Keychron Launcher setup instructions (text guide)
Setting up this layout in Keychron Launcher
Once you understand the layout, you can change the assignments in Keychron Launcher. Here, we explain how to set it up manually using the diagrams. Select keys on screen by their physical positions—not by their legends—such as “the Q position” or “directly below C.”
1. Connect the right half via USB
- Set the switch on the left half to Duo (dual mode).
- Set the switch on the right half to the USB symbol, then connect it to your PC with a USB cable that supports data transfer.
- Open Keychron Launcher in a browser officially listed as supported, such as Chrome, Edge, or Opera.
- Select “Connect,” choose Orca echo in the browser’s device selection window, and allow the connection.
- Open “Keymap” and check that the keyboard’s layout and layers are displayed.
On my Mac, I make changes with the right half connected by cable. I keep the left half in Duo mode and use it connected to the right half.
2. Record the current layout and match the display language
Before making changes, take screenshots of the layers you currently use. You can also use the keymap export feature to save your current settings to a file. Start editing only after you have a record of the original layout.
To match the diagrams in this article, select English (US) as the layout language on the Keymap screen. This setting controls how symbols are displayed in Launcher. Changing it does not change the keyboard layout settings in Windows or Mac.
3. Select a layer and assign regular keys
- Select Layer 0.
- Select the key you want to change on the screen. For example, select the position immediately to the left of Q, then choose Tab from the function list below.
- In the same way, assign Enter, modifier keys, symbols, and other keys according to the Layer 0 diagram. The thumb keys’ tap and hold actions will be set up in a later step.
- Switch to Layer 1 and assign 1–0 to the Q–P positions. Assign the corresponding symbols shown in the diagram to the row below.
- Switch to Layer 2 and assign the up, left, down, and right arrow keys to I, J, K, and L, respectively. Place F1–F12 and other keys on the left-hand side.
To assign regular keys, repeatedly select the physical key you want to change, then choose the desired key from the function list. Check which layer you are editing each time you make an assignment.
For symbols such as “!” and “@” on Layer 1, select the symbol assignments rather than the number keys 1 and 2. Once set up, switch layers with your left thumb and check that “!” is produced from the A position and “@” from the S position.
Positions shown in light gray in the diagram are set to pass through the assignments from the layer below. Launcher displays this with a symbol such as ▽. This is different from “Nothing,” which produces no input.
4. Set up tap and hold actions for the thumb keys
Select the left thumb key on Layer 0, then open “Hold/Tap” under “Action” on the left and set what it does when tapped and when held. Set up the right thumb key in the same way. The labels and layout may differ depending on the Launcher version.
| Key | Tap | Hold |
|---|---|---|
| Left thumb: Space position | Space | Switch to Layer 1 only while held |
| Right thumb: Backspace position | Backspace | Switch to Layer 2 only while held |
| V position | V | GUI/Win (a modifier key that acts as Command on Mac) |
Set the hold action to switch layers only while the key is held, returning to the previous layer when released. This is different from toggling layers each time the key is pressed. With this setup, you return to regular text input as soon as you release your thumb after entering numbers or symbols.
After setting it up, open Notepad or a similar app. Check that a quick tap with your left thumb enters a space, and that holding it while pressing the Q position produces “1.” Try the right thumb key too: test Backspace with a tap and arrow-key movement while holding it.
5. Assign clicks and scrolling
To assign mouse clicks, select the target key and function in the keymap as well. Assign the wheel functions separately for each direction of rotation shown on screen.
| Key | Layer | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Physical key directly below C | Layer 0 | Left mouse click |
| Physical key directly below C | Layer 2 | Right mouse click |
| Left-hand wheel, both directions | Layer 0 | Up/down scrolling |
| Both directions of the left-hand wheel | Layer 2 | Left/right scrolling |
| Touch input on both scroll pads | Layer 0 | Left-click on both |
The wheel is configured separately for each layer. Check whether scrolling switches between vertical and horizontal when using the default layer versus holding the right thumb key. A wide table or similar content makes it easier to test horizontal scrolling.
To test dragging, hold down the physical key directly below C and move the ball with your right hand. In this layout, left-click is assigned to the default layer, so you don’t need to switch to another layer to click.
6. Check your inputs and adjust the operations you use most
- Type regular letters, Space, Backspace, and Enter.
- On Layer 1, type “1234567890” and the symbols you use most.
- On Layer 2, try navigating with the arrow keys and using the F keys you commonly use.
- Try left-click, right-click, dragging, and vertical and horizontal scrolling.
- In your usual apps, try copying and pasting, and switching Japanese input on and off.
Once you’ve finished checking the layout, it’s useful to give the diagram and saved keymap file distinctive names or dates so you can tell them apart. If you find a key confusing in use, try changing that part gradually.
References: Keychron’s official key assignment instructions / Layout language settings
Summary
This article has presented one example of how to approach setting up a keymap for the Orca echo.
There’s no single right answer.
If the default keymap works for you, there’s no need to change it; you can also use this approach as a reference.
Creating a keymap that suits your own typing is part of the appeal of small keyboards.
Even just thinking about what kind of keymap to make can make the experience more exciting.
- Originally published:
- Last updated:
- Research method: Hands-on use of a review sample; explanation of the author-created keymap; reference to official Keychron and OS support resources
- References and sources: Author-created keymap / Keychron’s key assignment instructions / Launcher display language / Microsoft Japanese IME / Microsoft’s screenshot instructions / Apple’s screenshot instructions
- Conflict of interest: KOPEK JAPAN CORPORATION provided a sample for review.
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