Transform an old broken Keyboard to a Macro Keyboard

Watch the new version on my channel

This is version one of the Raspberry Pi Pico Macro Keyboard Project using the Adafruit HID library.

I have collected a few broken keyboards over the past few months and without trying to fix them, I thought it might be better to give them a new life.

In this project video I will show you how to turn your Raspberry Pi Pico into a Macro Keyboard. All the resources are available (code and Gerber files) if you want to order your own PCB.

I hope you find this videos helpful and I if you learned something from it, consider subscribing to my channel.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

GitHub Repository:

[NerdCaveYT]

I made a new version of this keyboard go watch it on my channel.

[armand]

This is an awesome project, very useful indeed :)

[Warezzfan]

I found Adafruit's MacroPad actually quite expensive for the functionality it offers. Nice that you were able to make your own at such low cost. Well done!

[allenwu]

Thank you, i got this running in half an hour. Only problem i had was downloading the circuit python file as a "Save as" from Chrome under Windows10 and it wasen't installing. I had to download your repo and drag and drop the file which installs it instantly for the CIRCUITPY to come up.
I then plugged it into my Ubuntu laptop and the macros are working there too as a plug and play, amazing!

[MartinLanius]

Unfortunately: keyboard.send(Keycode.CONTROL, Keycode.A) doesn't generate an A on my Mac Mini M4. If I test this in the TextEditor App the cursor jumps to the beginning of the line instead. Increment, decrement volume is working and starting vlc in the terminal app is working as well. I tried the US Circuit Python firmware as well as the DE version but that seems to make no difference. I also tried to change in the code all US related commands to DE but I got error messages that there are no DE related keyboard commands in the library.

[Pillow_]

Been looking for a way to do HID on the pico for a while, stumbled upon this unrelated to my searches and was very helpful!

[temyraverdana]

Very interesting project. Thanks for share it

[LWUndsoo]

hello, i have a problem vompiling my code, i get the error: ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'usb_hid'. but i downloaded several libraries, that must have them. i dont really know what im doing wrong, can you help me

[cobwebblocks]

thank you so much, i was troubleshooting an error for 1 hour and at 2:00 you show it; connect to vbus, not gnd for second pin (i have now read comments and found that it is 3v3 on pin 36)

[Clover]

How do I access the Gerber file to order it? I'm in the github and I download the zip file for "Pico Macro Keyboard/Gerber_pico keyboard_2022-03-24.zip" and when I try to put it so that I could order it, it says "Invalid file format".

[Totumfacky]

I need such keyboard! Where i could buy online already put together alternative?

[DrGuppy-hgxu]

Cool project! Could you use a joystick as a mouse? That seems like a cool addition.

[adrielsouza]

I was thinking of using an old keyboard to take advantage of its keys by connecting it to an Arduino or Raspiberry pi, and converting the keyboard's key information into customizable buttons, to avoid incompatibility with the standard buttons on my keyboard. In that case the keyboard would be recognized as an input device, like a joystick, with 104 keys.
Would it be possible to do this?

[smartfridge]

Can you make a video or something on how to make this with a rotary encoder(for sliding the screen right or left), thanks

[NairobiGPOHudumaCentre]

Can one control the media player even if the player is not an active window?

[codingwithadhrit]

By mistake on the schematic do you mean tue table or the diagram itself. (I barely know anything, this is my first raspberry pi project

[juliohoyos]

Can I add and I2C screen (2x16) characters to that keyboard? using circuit python?

For example, I set button 1 to "ctrl+c" and i want to show on my screen "copy"

[NerdCaveYT]

A small mistake on schematic for the simple 4 button demo, the voltage should be connected to Pin36 the 3V3 out. I am famous for writing the wrong things in the table next to the schematic

[caiobaima]

Nice!
any way to convert this board in plug n play? For create Midi Controllers and after sell for musicians

[pavanashaji]

sir if we order the pcb from easy eda, is that included with the mechanical in the 3d view of the designed pcb mechanical switches also shown in it