Keyboard Macro

What Does Keyboard Macro Mean?

A keyboard macro is a series of actions defined by the user that a keyboard can perform repeatedly without any outside assistance. They are usually helpful in the performance of repetitive computational tasks, which would normally require a long sequence of clicks or patterns of keystrokes. Various software tools and codes are available as open source for users to modify or implement keyboard macros and stop them at any time.

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Techopedia Explains Keyboard Macro

A macro key was common on early keyboards, found in the lower rows in the left corner, between the Z and Ctrl keys. Most keyboards printed a backslash upon hitting the macro key, but it actually had a different back-end code. Keyboards and applications directly use the back-end code and handle this key differently.

Keyboard macros are often used by gamers or online advertisers to repeat a certain pattern of strokes without human assistance. This way, rapid functions are performed over a course of time and then stopped.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…