How do you remap a key to the Caps Lock key in Xubuntu?

Question

I'm using Xubuntu 12.04. How do I either swap or remap the Control (or any key) and Caps Lock keys?

score 103 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 30 '12 at 01:25

103

Another way:

sudo vi /etc/default/keyboard

then find the line that starts with XKBOPTIONS, and add ctrl:nocaps to make Caps Lock an additional Control key or ctrl:swapcaps to swap Caps Lock and Control.

For example, mine looks like

XKBOPTIONS="lv3:ralt_alt,compose:menu,ctrl:nocaps"

then run

sudo dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration

The reason this way is better is that it will take effect on the virtual consoles (e.g. Ctrl+Alt+F1) as well as in the graphical desktop.

answered Nov 30 '12 at 01:25

Mikel

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This is beautiful; how long has XKBOPTIONS been around for? – Ehtesh Choudhury Jan 22 '14 at 06:39
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XkbOptions is named for a setting in X. The capability is provided by the `console-setup` package, which seems to have been in Ubuntu since at least [Lucid](http://packages.ubuntu.com/lucid/console-setup), and probably earlier. – Mikel Jan 22 '14 at 15:22
I like your method, but unfortunately it just isn't working. I even see a new init image generated. – Evan Carroll Feb 03 '14 at 18:45
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Works perfectly on xubuntu 14.04, thank you – Bjarke Freund-Hansen May 15 '14 at 08:47
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Also works flawlessly here on Ubuntu 14.04. – Doorknob Aug 07 '14 at 07:14
Is it possible that I have to fire the last command each time I start the desktop (LXDE in my case)? – Dror Sep 29 '14 at 12:21
Dror, yes, it's possible on some systems. – Mikel Sep 29 '14 at 14:48
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use `caps:escape` to remap the capslock to esc – Harry Moreno Oct 28 '14 at 06:47
I like that this works in the virtual consoles, but is there a way to make it "persistent" so I don't have to do it on every boot? – unhammer Jun 06 '15 at 10:22
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As far as I recall, you also need to ensure you've turned on any "Use system keyboard layout" option, and/or disabled IBus. See e.g. http://askubuntu.com/a/442415/1951 – Mikel Jun 06 '15 at 13:06
I've got Unity for testing some stuff, so can't remove Ibus. It has "use system keyboard layout" set, and I've tried `sudo dconf write /desktop/ibus/general/use-system-keyboard-layout true`, didn't help. Ended up just making an .Xmodmap. – unhammer Jun 11 '15 at 07:17
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This works for 14.04. I'm appalled that Linux doesn't just have a setting for this in this day an age. – Edward Falk Jun 29 '15 at 23:30
Also works for Lubuntu 15.10. A couple of the other answers seem specific to Xubuntu. – typesanitizer Jan 10 '16 at 14:21
In additions there's a full list of options stored in ` /usr/share/X11/xkb/rules/xorg.lst` if you're on something like an Ubuntu. – Forbesmyester Sep 02 '16 at 08:58
This seems to work only in the X, but not virtual consoles, tested on Ubuntu 17.10. – Mitar Nov 22 '17 at 10:49
Works in xfce ubuntu 18.04 LTS. Needs a reboot though to take effect. – scientific_explorer Mar 28 '20 at 15:08

Evan Carroll · Answer 2 · 2014-02-03T18:58:05.960

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To swap the keys go:

Xubuntu → Settings Manager → Session and Startup

Then in the Sessions and Startup configurator go

Application Autostart (tab at the top) → Add (bottom button)

Now on the Add Application screen

Name: Control and CapsLk swap
Description: Swap the two keys
Command: /usr/bin/setxkbmap -option "ctrl:swapcaps"

To remap Caps Lock to Control go:

Xubuntu → Settings Manager → Session and Startup

Then in the Sessions and Startup configurator go

Application Autostart (tab at the top) → Add (bottom button)

Now on the Add Application screen

Name: Remap CapsLk to Ctrl
Description: Remap the CapsLk key to Control
Command: /usr/bin/setxkbmap -option "ctrl:nocaps"

edited Feb 03 '14 at 18:58

answered Jun 12 '12 at 16:31

Evan Carroll

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Wow, that is dramatically harder than it used to be – foxxtrot Sep 12 '12 at 01:06
On my almost fresh Ubuntu 13.10 install, it works when manually executed but not from “Session and Startup”. – Chris Mar 08 '14 at 09:23
I no longer suggest this method use the other answer. http://askubuntu.com/a/223674/29097 – Evan Carroll Sep 16 '16 at 22:09

score 3 · Answer 3 · edited Sep 16 '12 at 17:40

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For compose instead of caps put compose:caps as the -options parameter.

edited Sep 16 '12 at 17:40

Eliah Kagan

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answered Sep 16 '12 at 17:09

Makdaam

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score 2 · Answer 4 · answered May 07 '13 at 07:00

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For Raring (at least):

Start "Keyboard layout" (from dash).

Press "Options..." to reach "Keyboard layout options" menu.

I chose "Ctrl key position" => "Caps lock as Ctrl". Your tastes may differ.

answered May 07 '13 at 07:00

vivainio

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What is "dash"? Surely not Unity (in Xubuntu), I hope. This sounds a lot like the Gnome solution that is unavailable in Xubuntu. – Marty Fried Jun 07 '14 at 23:42

How do you remap a key to the Caps Lock key in Xubuntu?

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