KeyHalo

Open-source RGB lighting, macros, per-app keymaps, DPI tuning and a typing trainer for keyboards and mice — a lightweight Razer Synapse alternative for Windows.

Website · Download · Community gallery · Docs

KeyHalo is a fast, privacy-first desktop app (Tauri 2 + Rust + React) that replaces heavy vendor suites for everyday tasks: per-key RGB lighting, mouse DPI and polling rate, per-app keyboard shortcuts and macros, a typing trainer, and a community gallery of profiles, keymaps and device definitions shared on GitHub. It supports Razer keyboards and mice natively and any Windows Dynamic Lighting (LampArray) device, with an OpenRGB bridge for more hardware.

Features

Lighting studio

• Per-key RGB editor with layers (blend modes, opacity, key masks) and live preview
• Built-in effects (wave, spectrum, breathing, reactive ripples, audio visualiser…) plus sandboxed community effects
• Synced lighting across keyboard, mouse and other devices on a virtual desk
• Save hardware effects to onboard memory to keep them without the app running

Performance tuning

• DPI stages (independent X/Y), sniper DPI, polling rate
• Battery level and history, idle sleep and low-battery threshold for wireless mice
• Windows pointer speed and acceleration in one place

Per-app keymaps & macros

• Keymap packs that switch automatically with the focused app (DaVinci Resolve, VS Code, Photoshop, games…)
• Shortcut legends: keys light up by category with the app's own shortcuts
• Remaps, layers, tap-hold, macros, media keys and DPI actions; import from VS Code, export to Kanata
• Remapping pauses automatically in competitive games

Typing trainer

• Adaptive lessons that unlock letters as you improve, timed tests, passages, code snippets, app-shortcut drills and Fn-layer drills for 60 % boards, in English and Spanish (accents and dead keys included)
• WPM, accuracy, consistency, per-key heatmap on your real keyboard layout
• Ghost races against your best run or a friend's, and a shareable result card
• The next key lights up on your physical keyboard while you type

Launchpad macro board

• Turn a Novation Launchpad into a Stream Deck-style board: open apps, websites, Claude Code or Codex, shortcuts, media and per-app volume, with live pad lights (Claude Code working / waiting, mic, notifications) and an on-screen pad map while you learn it
• Plays nice with Ableton: KeyHalo lets go of the Launchpad while your DAW is open (docs)

Test bench

• Check every key, switch and mouse button, and measure your mouse's real polling rate

Automations

• Rules: when an app opens, a time arrives, the battery is low, the PC is idle or the CPU/GPU is hot, or a notification arrives → switch profile, flash keys, notify, change DPI, call MQTT or HTTP

Integrations

• Bambu Lab 3D printers: print progress on your keyboard
• Claude Code: see when your AI agent needs you; connect it with one click
• Windows notifications: Discord, WhatsApp, your phone through Phone Link or any app light your keys, with per-app and per-word rules, and the keys stay lit until you read the message
• Home Assistant / MQTT
• Game state lighting for CS2, Dota 2 and League of Legends

Community gallery

• Browse, install and update profiles, keymap packs, effects, typing packs and device definitions from this repository
• Publish your own straight from the app (it opens the pull request for you) or share a Gist link

Privacy-first & open source

• No account, no telemetry, no cloud. Everything stays on your PC
• MIT-licensed, small, and it never flashes firmware

Supported devices

Device	Type	Connection	USB ID	Status
Razer Basilisk V3	Mouse	Razer HID	1532:0099	⚠️ Experimental
Razer BlackWidow V3	Keyboard	Razer HID	1532:024E	⚠️ Experimental
Razer BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless	Keyboard	Razer HID	1532:0A24	⚠️ Experimental
Razer DeathAdder V2	Mouse	Razer HID	1532:0084	⚠️ Experimental
Razer DeathAdder V2 Mini	Mouse	Razer HID	1532:008C	⚠️ Experimental
Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro	Mouse	Razer HID	1532:007C 1532:007D	✅ Verified
Razer Huntsman Mini	Keyboard	Razer HID	1532:0257	✅ Verified
Razer Huntsman Mini Analog	Keyboard	Razer HID	1532:0282	⚠️ Experimental
Razer Viper Ultimate	Mouse	Razer HID	1532:007A 1532:007B	⚠️ Experimental

Any keyboard or mouse that supports Windows Dynamic Lighting (LampArray) works generically, with no definition needed. Missing your device? Add it with the in-app Device Wizard or open a device support request. Tested it? Send a "Works on my device" report.

Project status

KeyHalo 1.0 is a public beta. What has been verified on real hardware (Razer Huntsman Mini fw 1.12 + DeathAdder V2 Pro fw 2.02 on Windows 11):

• ✅ Device detection, firmware/serial/layout/battery/DPI/polling reads, state snapshots
• ✅ Per-key software lighting and hardware effects, and handing devices back to their onboard effect when KeyHalo quits
• ✅ Windows Dynamic Lighting enumeration (61 lamps on the Huntsman Mini), system metrics (NVML), foreground-app detection, local API

Implemented and unit-tested but not yet verified on real hardware/services — reports welcome: the OpenRGB bridge, LampArray colour writes, Bambu Lab MQTT, Home Assistant discovery, CS2/Dota 2 GSI and the LoL client API, DPI-stage writes and the remap engine in long sessions. The other Razer definitions in the table are marked Experimental for the same reason.

Install

Windows installer

Download the latest KeyHalo_x.y.z_x64-setup.exe (NSIS, recommended) or .msi from Releases and run it. Windows 11 is recommended (Windows Dynamic Lighting devices require Windows 11). From 1.1.0 on, KeyHalo updates itself: new versions download in the background and install with one click (signed updates, Settings → General → Check for updates).

Build from source

# Requirements: Node.js 22, Rust (rustup), MSVC Build Tools, WebView2
git clone https://github.com/Brokenwatch24/keyhalo.git
cd keyhalo
npm install
npm run app:dev     # run the desktop app
npm run app:build   # build installers into src-tauri/target/release/bundle

Just want to look around? npm run dev starts a browser demo with simulated devices at http://localhost:1420.

Quick start

1. Install and launch KeyHalo; your devices appear on the Dashboard.
2. Open Lighting, pick an effect or stack layers, and watch the live preview.
3. In Performance, set your DPI stages and polling rate.
4. In Keymaps, enable a pack for your favourite app; its shortcuts light up when it's focused.
5. Visit Community to install profiles and packs made by others, or share your own.

Community

Profiles, keymap packs, effects, typing packs and device definitions live in community/ as plain JSON (effects are small sandboxed JS modules).

• In-app publish: Community → Publish signs in with GitHub and opens a pull request for you.
• Pull request: add a file and open a PR. CI validates it and comments a summary.
• Gist links: share instantly with a keyhalo://import?gist=<id> link.

See CONTRIBUTING.md for the formats.

Local API & CLI

KeyHalo exposes a local REST/WebSocket API on 127.0.0.1 (optional token) and a small CLI, so scripts, Stream Deck buttons and other tools can switch profiles, flash keys or read device status. See docs/LOCAL_API.md.

Roadmap

• Linux support (via OpenRazer / hidraw)
• macOS support
• More vendors: Logitech, SteelSeries, Corsair (native or through the OpenRGB bridge)
• Onboard macro storage on supported devices
• More community effects, keymap packs and typing languages

Ideas welcome in Discussions.

FAQ

Is it safe? Yes. KeyHalo never flashes firmware; it only sends the same documented runtime commands vendor software uses. It captures a snapshot of your device before the first change (Restore original), and Safe mode turns off every hardware write. Community effects run sandboxed, and keymap content that launches programs, types text or makes HTTP calls must be approved by you. See SECURITY.md.

Will it trigger anti-cheat? KeyHalo doesn't inject into games or install kernel drivers. Remapping and macros pause automatically while games on the pause list (Rainbow Six Siege, Valorant, Fortnite, Apex, Tarkov… editable) are focused. Still, games with kernel anti-cheat have their own rules: use macros in competitive games at your own risk.

Does it replace Razer Synapse? For supported devices, yes for lighting, DPI, polling rate and battery. You can uninstall Synapse, or keep both installed, but don't let both control the lighting at the same time.

Can it update my device's firmware? No, by design. Use the vendor's tool for firmware updates.

Does it work without an internet connection? Yes. The network is only used for the community gallery, GitHub publishing, update checks and the integrations you enable.

Contributing

Contributions of all sizes are welcome, from a new device definition to a keymap pack for your favourite app. Start with CONTRIBUTING.md and the Code of Conduct.

Credits

• OpenRazer and OpenRGB for their public protocol research. KeyHalo's implementation is original; no code was copied (see docs/protocols).
• Kanata for remapping inspiration.
• Tauri, Inter and Lucide icons.

License

MIT © 2026 Brokenwatch24 and KeyHalo contributors.

KeyHalo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Razer, Microsoft or any other hardware vendor. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.