Using VIA Configurator

Written By Terry Mathews

VIA is a program that allows you to configure your keyboard. It works with QMK, the firmware that powers custom keyboards.

The VIA configurator allows you to:

  • Map keys to the physical keys on your keyboard

  • Manage your backlighting settings

  • Toggle different layout options

  • Program macros

VIA automatically detects your compatible keyboard if it's plugged in. Keyboard memory is persistent, which means that wherever you plug in keyboard, it remembers the settings. You can configure your keyboard at home and then take it to work.

Download VIA

You can download VIA from the official VIA website →

On the Releases page, download:

  • For Windows: the .exe file

  • For Mac: the .dmg file

Note: not all keyboards are compatible with VIA. See the list of supported keyboards. All keyboards by TheKey.Company are made VIA-compatible.

 

Using VIA

Run the program. VIA will automatically detect your compatible keyboard if it’s plugged in.

In these examples below, we’re using a CandyBar Premium keyboard with a right-sided numpad.

Configure keys

  1. On the top half, select the key you want to configure on your layout.

  2. Select the key you want to assign it as from the bottom.

Test your configuration

For example, suppose you program the top left key of your CandyBar to be Esc.

  1. Switch to the Key Tester tab.

  2. On your keyboard, tap the top left Esc key that you just programmed.

  3. In the Key Tester, the Esc key should light up, showing that your keypress corresponds to the correct key.

 

Configure layers

Layers allow you to assign keys to multiple “layers”, so a single physical key can have multiple functions. This is important for smaller keyboards, where there aren’t enough physical keys to do all the functionality you need.

Switch across layers at the top.

Further reading: learn more about keyboard layouts and sizes, including compact keyboards.

Change layout options

This varies by keyboard model. For the CandyBar Premium in our example, you have four layout options to choose from, which are set by simply toggling the switches:

  • Split backspace

  • Flipped right shift

  • 6.25u spacebar versus split spacebar

  • 2u 0 key

Related Links

Terry Mathews
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