You can customize how remote desktops and published applications interpret keyboard shortcuts entered on the client device by creating keyboard shortcut mappings. When you create a keyboard shortcut mapping, you map a keyboard shortcut on the client device to a Windows keyboard shortcut that triggers the associated action in the remote desktop or application.

A keyboard shortcut consists of one or more key modifiers, such as Control and Shift, and a key code. A key code can be any key on your keyboard. When you press a mapped keyboard shortcut on your client keyboard, the corresponding Windows keyboard shortcut and action occurs in the remote desktop or application.

Considerations for Mapping Operating System Keyboard Shortcuts

Many operating systems include default keyboard shortcuts. For example, Ctrl+W and Shift+Ctrl+W are common keyboard shortcuts on Chromebooks. If you attempt to map one of these operating system (OS) keyboard shortcuts in Horizon Client, the behavior of the shortcut on the client device and in the remote desktop or published application can be unpredictable.

Before you create a keyboard shortcut mapping, review the following considerations:

  • If you map a keyboard shortcut, how the shortcut behaves on the client device depends on how the OS manages the shortcut. For example, the keyboard shortcut might trigger an action in the OS and Horizon Client might not respond to the shortcut. Alternatively, the keyboard shortcut might trigger an action in both the OS and Horizon Client.
  • Before you map an OS keyboard shortcut in Horizon Client, try to deactivate the shortcut in the client OS, if possible. Not all OS keyboard shortcuts can be deactivated.
  • If you map a Windows keyboard shortcut in Horizon Client, the mapped action occurs when you use the shortcut in the remote desktop or published application.
  • Shortcut mappings that include the Windows key are deactivated by default in the Horizon Client Key Mapping dialog box. To use one of these mappings, you must activate it by selecting its Open check box in the Key Mapping dialog box. These shortcuts are included with the mapping feature by default and cannot be deleted.
Note: For a list of the default keyboard shortcuts for your client OS, refer to your client OS documentation. For a list of the default Windows shortcuts, refer to the Microsoft Windows website ( http://windows.microsoft.com).

Create Keyboard Shortcut Mappings

Follow these steps to configure keyboard shortcut mappings.

  1. Connect to a server and click the Settings toolbar button in the upper-right corner of the desktop and application selector window.
  2. In the Settings window, find Key Mapping Setting, and click Set.
  3. In the Key Mapping dialog box, configure the keyboard shortcut mappings.
    Option Action
    Delete a keyboard shortcut mapping Select the mapping to delete and click the minus (-) button.
    Add a keyboard shortcut mapping
    Note: Certain rules and limitations can apply to mappings. See the descriptions in the next section of this article.
    1. Click the plus (+) button.
    2. Under the From: section, specify the client keyboard shortcut sequence by selecting one or more keyboard modifiers and typing a key code in the text box. The From: field shows the client keyboard shortcut that you specified.
    3. Under the To: section, specify the corresponding Windows keyboard shortcut sequence by selecting one or more keyboard modifiers and typing a key code in the text box. The To: field shows the Windows keyboard shortcut that you specified.
    4. Click Add to save your changes.

    The keyboard shortcut mapping that you created appears activated by default in the Key Mapping dialog box (the Open check box next to the mapping is selected).

    Modify a keyboard shortcut mapping
    1. Double-click the mapping and make your changes to the From: and To: keyboard shortcut sequences.
    2. Click Update to save your changes.
    Activate/deactivate a keyboard shortcut mapping Select/deselect the Open check box next to the mapping in the Key Mapping dialog box.
    Restore the default mappings Click Restore Defaults. Any changes that you made to the default keyboard shortcut mappings are deleted and the default mappings are restored.
  4. Click OK to close the Key Mapping dialog box.

Your keyboard shortcut mapping changes take effect immediately. You do not need to restart open remote desktops or published applications to make the changes take effect.

Shortcut Mapping Rules

The following rules and limitations apply to keyboard shortcut mappings.

  • An error message appears if you try to add a mapping that duplicates an existing mapping.
  • An error message appears if your origin and target shortcuts are identical.
  • You can map a single modifier key to another modifier key, for example, Command key to Control key. However, you cannot creating mappings between combinations of modifier keys.
  • You cannot map shortcuts that combine the Shift key with a letter key, for example, Shift+A.
  • An error message appears if you try to add a mapping without specifying an origin or target shortcut.
  • You cannot map combinations that include any of the LED keys: Caps Lock, Num Lock, Scroll Lock.
  • You cannot map a combination of keys to a modifier key.