The spacebar is one of the most frequently used keys. As such, it has a very high probability of failing right when you need it most. It might not happen that often, but when it happens, you need an alternative key for the spacebar key.
For example, my spacebar key broke because I rough-handled it quite a lot during my Dark Souls playthrough. With no spare keyboard around, I set up an alternative key as a temporary solution.
If you’re also in need of a backup for your spacebar, this tutorial will show you how to use a built-in option and create your own custom spacebar key using the PowerToys key remapping feature. Let’s get started.
Alternative Key for Spacebar on Windows 11 & 10
Windows has a built-in Alt code to type the space character. To type a space character using an Alt code, hold down the “Alt” key and then press 3 and 2 on the number pad. This immediately prints the standard space character on your screen.
Note: Remember that you must use the Numpad for this to work, not the top-row numbers. If your keyboard doesn’t have a Numpad, follow the second method.
Create an Alternative Key for the Spacebar Using PowerToys
Note: Administrator rights are required to install PowerToys.
- Get PowerToys from this page.
- Double-click the installer and install PowerToys.
- Search and open “PowerToys” from the Start menu.
- Go to the “Keyboard Manager” tab on the sidebar.
- Turn ON the “Enable Keyboard Manager” toggle.
- Click the “Remap a key” option.
- Click the “Add key remapping” button.
- Click “Select” under the “Select” setting.
- Now, press the key you want to work as an alternative to the spacebar and click “OK“.
- Click “Space” from the second dropdown menu under the “To send” section.
- Click the “OK” button at the top.
- With that, you have created an alternative key for the spacebar key.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
Before you can do anything, we need to install PowerToys. To do that, download PowerToys from this GitHub page. After downloading the installer, double-click it and follow the wizard to install PowerToys.
Next, open the Start menu by pressing the “Start” button on the keyboard. Search for “PowerToys” in the Start menu, and click the “Open” button.
Go to the “Keyboard Manager” tab on the PowerToys sidebar. Turn ON the “Enable Keyboard Manager” toggle. After that, click the “Remap a key” option.
Click the “Add key remapping” button to continue.
Under the “Select” section, click the “Select” button.
Now, press the key you want to assign as the spacebar alternative. For example, I rarely ever use the right “Alt” key and I want to assign it as the alternative spacebar key. So, I pressed it. Next, click the “OK” button to confirm it.
Under the “To send” section, select “Space” from the second dropdown menu. The first dropdown menu should be set to “Send key/shortcut”. Click the “OK” button at the top to confirm the key remapping.
If you see a warning message, click the “Continue Anyways” button.
That is it. If you want, you can close the PowerToys window. From this point forward, you can press the alternative key whenever you want to press the spacebar.
Wrapping Up — Alternative Key for Spacebar
In summary, you have two ways to replace your spacebar key if it stops working. For keyboards with a Numpad, the Alt code method is quick and easy. If not, you can remap any unused key as a spacebar using PowerToys. The PowerToys method is especially reliable, works across all languages, and is the better option if you need a permanent solution.
If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
