BetterTouchTool for Windows: what KeyRoutines covers, what it doesn't
BetterTouchTool only runs on macOS, and there's no Windows version. KeyRoutines covers its keyboard side on Windows: hotkeys and key sequences, mouse side buttons, window placement and chains of actions per app. It does not do trackpad or mouse gestures, floating menus or a clipboard manager in 1.0, so if gestures are what you miss most, it isn't the right fit.
BetterTouchTool → KeyRoutines
| In BetterTouchTool | In KeyRoutines |
|---|---|
| Keyboard shortcuts | Hotkey trigger with press, release, hold and double-tap, and whether the keys still reach the app.Hotkey |
| Key sequences | Hotkey sequences such as Ctrl+K then S; Typed text (Pro) for typed abbreviations.HotkeyTyped text |
| Mouse buttons | Mouse side buttons (like MouseX1) work as hotkeys.Hotkey |
| Trackpad and Magic Mouse gestures | No equivalent in 1.0. Use a hotkey or mouse button instead. |
| App-specific triggers | App-specific hotkeys through folder availability, or the App or window in front condition.App or window in front |
| Window snapping and moving | Move and resize, Window state (including always on top) and Apply layout for many windows.Move and resizeWindow stateApply layout |
| Action sequences | A routine's step list, with delays, waits and branches between steps.DelayCompare values |
| Named triggers | Run routine and Send routine event, so one routine can start or signal another.Run routineSend routine eventRoutine event |
| Sending a shortcut to a specific app | Press keys with a target app, delivered even when the app isn't in front (desktop apps only, never games).Press keys |
| Volume, brightness and media actions | Set volume, Set brightness, Media control.Set volumeSet brightnessMedia control |
| Floating menus and Stream Deck support | No floating menus in 1.0; routines can sit in the tray menu, the Run-by-name palette or on a Stream Deck with the free KeyRoutines plugin.Run manually |
What's different
- Gestures are BetterTouchTool's core, and KeyRoutines has no trackpad, mouse gesture or hot corner triggers in 1.0. Windows' own touchpad settings cover basic three- and four-finger gestures.
- BetterTouchTool has floating menus and a clipboard manager; KeyRoutines 1.0 has neither. Windows' Win+V clipboard history is built in.
- BetterTouchTool customises the Touch Bar and other Mac hardware, which has no Windows counterpart.
- BetterTouchTool is a paid app with a trial. KeyRoutines is free, with an optional one-time Pro upgrade.
Moving over
- 1
Start with your keyboard shortcuts
For each BetterTouchTool shortcut, create a routine with a Hotkey trigger. Turn on Swallow if the original keys shouldn't reach the app.
- 2
Move gesture actions to keys or mouse buttons
Actions you ran with a gesture can go on a spare key combination, a double-tap or a mouse side button.
- 3
Rebuild window actions
Use Move and resize for single snaps, and Apply layout for a whole desk of windows.
- 4
Scope to apps
Put app-only routines in a folder that's active only in that app, so the same hotkey can do different things in different apps.
Questions
- Is there a BetterTouchTool for Windows?
- No. BetterTouchTool is Mac-only. Windows users usually combine tools: Windows' own touchpad settings for gestures, and an automation app like KeyRoutines for shortcuts and action chains.
- Can KeyRoutines do touchpad gestures?
- No, not in 1.0. Triggers are keys, mouse buttons and events like apps, devices, files and schedules.
- Can I import my BetterTouchTool presets?
- No. You rebuild them as routines.
- Does KeyRoutines remap keys?
- Not as an always-on remap in 1.0. A hotkey can swallow a key combination and run a routine that presses other keys, but for pure remapping, PowerToys Keyboard Manager or AutoHotkey fit better.
BetterTouchTool is a trademark of its owner. KeyRoutines is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Coming from somewhere else?
Try KeyRoutines instead of BetterTouchTool
Free from the Microsoft Store for Windows 11 and 10. Pro is a one-time upgrade.