One of the most common actions we perform on a computer is cut/copy and paste using the keyboard shortcuts “Ctrl + X”, “Ctrl + C”, and “Ctrl + V”. While these default shortcuts are generally fine and we use them hundreds of times a day, they can get tiring and may even result in finger strain and fatigue. Additionally, pressing these two-key shortcuts breaks your typing flow.
To fix this issue, you can remap these actions to the function keys using AutoHotkey. Since these keys often sit idle, they are perfect candidates for single-key shortcuts. I personally use F6 to Cut, F7 to Copy, and F8 to Paste.
In this easy guide, I will show you how to use a simple AutoHotKey script to assign cut, copy, and paste actions to your Function keys. I’ve included the code below so you can just copy-paste it and go. Let’s get started.
Before You Start
- Download AutoHotkey from here. Next, install it by double-clicking the downloaded file and following the installer wizard.
- Administrator rights are required to install AutoHotKey.
- (Optional) Make sure file extensions are enabled in Windows.
Assign Cut, Copy, and Paste Shortcuts to Function Keys
- On the desktop, right-click and select “New” > “Text document“.
- Set its name as “CutCopyPaste.ahk”.
- Right-click on it and select “Edit in Notepad“.
- Paste the following code into Notepad.
; F6 to Copy (Ctrl + C)
F6::^c
; F7 to Paste (Ctrl + V)
F7::^v
; F8 to Cut (Ctrl + X)
F8::^x - Press “Ctrl + S” to save the file.
- Close the Notepad window.
- Double-click the .ahk file on the desktop to run it.
- From now on, pressing F6, F7, and F8 will copy, paste, and cut, respectively.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
First, make sure you’ve already downloaded and installed AutoHotkey. Next, right-click on your desktop and select the “New” and then the “Text document” option. This creates an empty text document on your desktop.
Set the name of the text file to “CutCopyPaste.ahk“. It is important that you change the file extension from “.txt” to “.ahk”.
Next, right-click on the newly created file and select the “Edit in Notepad” option. This action opens the script file in Notepad.
Note: On Windows 10, you can select “Open with” > “Notepad”.
Paste the script below into Notepad. The script remaps the copy, paste, and cut shortcuts to F6, F7, and F8, respectively. If needed, you can change the function keys to the ones you want. For example, to use F8, F9, and F10 as the shortcuts, replace F6, F7, and F8 with them.
; F6 to Copy (Ctrl + C)
F6::^c
; F7 to Paste (Ctrl + V)
F7::^v
; F8 to Cut (Ctrl + X)
F8::^x
After adding the script, select “File” and then “Save” to save the file. You can also press the “Ctrl + S” shortcut. Next, close the Notepad window by clicking the “X” icon on the title bar.
Finally, double-click on the AHK file you just created. It will launch the script, and you can see it on the taskbar.
As long as the script is running, you can use the function keys to Cut, Copy, and Paste. To make sure you use these shortcuts, add this script to the startup.
That is all. It is that simple to assign cut, copy, and paste shortcuts to function keys in Windows. If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
