KeyRoutines

Windows 11 productivity automation: your desk ready in one key

KeyRoutines turns the things you do every day on your PC into routines that run on a hotkey, a schedule, or when something happens. Open your work apps on the right monitors, close distractions for a focus block, file downloads and fix copied text without thinking about it.

Sound familiar?

The same ten clicks every morning

Open the browser, Outlook, Teams, the project folder and the editor, then drag every window to its monitor.

Distractions are one click away

Discord and Steam stay open all day, and every ping pulls you out of focus.

A Downloads folder you're afraid to open

Hundreds of invoices, installers and zips with names like download (7).pdf.

Typing the same things again and again

Email replies, signatures, today's date, and fixing text someone pasted in all caps.

Routines to build

Work desk in one key

The free Work Mode template closes launchers, opens your apps and pages, and arranges them across your monitors.

Focus mode toggle

One key closes Discord and Steam, mutes Slack, quiets KeyRoutines and hides every window except your editor; press again to undo.

Downloads that file themselves

The free Download Finished template moves archives and PDFs into their folders as each download completes, and puts today's date in PDF names, with undo for every move.

Text expansion

Type an abbreviation and get your full reply, or a box to fill in a name first.

Today's note

One key creates today's dated note from your template, once, and opens it.

Fix copied text

Turn selected text into upper or lower case with one key.

Text expansion with the Typed text trigger needs KeyRoutines Pro; the other routines on this page are free.

Step-by-step guides

How to open apps at startup in a set window layoutHow to save and restore your window layout with a hotkeyHow to put windows back when you reconnect a monitorHow to keep any window always on top with a hotkeyHow to make an app always open on a specific monitorHow to close a recurring popup window automaticallyHow to switch to an app or open it with one hotkeyHow to minimize every window except one app with a hotkeyHow to open several apps and websites with one hotkeyHow to close all open apps except a few with one clickHow to reopen an app automatically when it closes or crashesHow to open an app automatically when another app startsHow to wait until an app has fully loaded before the next stepHow to open an app as administrator with a hotkeyHow to set up your work apps and windows with one hotkeyHow to set up your PC for a Zoom or Teams meeting in one stepHow to close apps, tidy files and sleep the PC at end of dayHow to change settings automatically on your office Wi-FiHow to type your email signature with a short abbreviationHow to type today's date anywhere with a short abbreviationHow to start a focus timer that closes distracting appsHow to log when you open and close an app to a CSV fileHow to make a presentation mode that undoes itself afterHow to sort your Downloads folder automatically on Windows

More in Work, Windows and layouts, Apps, Files, Clipboard, Schedules.

Questions

Do I need to know how to code?
No. You build routines from blocks in a visual step list. Scripts are there for Pro users who want them, but nothing here needs one.
Does KeyRoutines work on Windows 10?
Yes. KeyRoutines runs on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Does it slow my PC down?
No. It runs quietly in the tray and uses almost no memory or CPU while it waits; most triggers listen to Windows' own events instead of checking on a timer.
Is text expansion free?
No. The Typed text trigger is part of the one-time Pro upgrade. A Hotkey trigger with Type text does the same job for free.

KeyRoutines for…

Build this routine in KeyRoutines

Free from the Microsoft Store for Windows 11 and 10. Pro is a one-time upgrade.

Get KeyRoutines freeFree vs Pro