- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP/NT
- Date added: July 31, 2005
- Total Downloads: 135,113
- Downloads last week: 636
- See full specifications
A newer version of AutoHotkey is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 144 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
This freeware program lets power users perform complex operations by pressing a few keys. A quick glance shows that the AutoHotkey script language offers a wide range of opportunities. First, it can run programs, manipulate program windows, and send keystrokes or mouse clicks. Multimedia or Internet keyboards are supported, and you can plug in nonstandard devices. Second, it can handle files and folders. For instance, it can check whether there is enough free disk space, then delete all temporary files if there isn't. Most remarkably, you can pack your scripts into EXE files that will run on any PC, even without AutoHotkey installed. The program takes only 1MB of memory when running in the background. Note that the user interface is minimal, so you will have to read the manual carefully and write scripts yourself. The program works great as a script-running engine, but we would like to see more tools in the interface, such as a script library and an integrated scripting environment. AutoHotkey would appeal to advanced users with some command of scripting.Publisher's description
From AutoHotkey :This open source utility can automate almost anything by sending keystrokes and mouse clicks. You can write macros by hand or use the macro recorder. You can also create hotkeys for keyboard, joystick, and mouse. Virtually any key, button, or combination can become a hotkey. In addition, you can define abbreviations that expand as you type them. For example, typing "btw" can automatically produce "by the way.
Other features: change the volume, mute, and other settings of any soundcard; use a joystick or keyboard as a mouse; remap keys; launch programs and documents; make any window transparent, always-on-top, or alter its shape; retrieve and change the clipboard's contents; customize the tray menu with your own icon, tooltip, menu items; display dialog boxes to interact with the user; run existing AutoIt v2 scripts; and convert any script into an EXE file that can be run on any computer.
Version 1.0.36.07 includes unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
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User reviews of AutoHotkey 1.0.36.07
- Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 144 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 5 user reviewsSee all 5 user reviews
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29 out of 31 people found this review helpful
Version: AutoHotkey 1.0.36.07
"Highly versatile, with serious power"
Pros: Chances are if you're not a geek, you've never heard of Chris Mallett's AutoHotkey or know what it does. Long story short: it does everything you want it to. I use it as a hotkey app to launch programs, autotype salutations, addresses, and special symbols. If you're looking for a keyboard shortcut app (often called a "hotkey" application), then look no further than AutoHotkey. It's easy to get up and running and help is at hand when you need it. Based on the source code of AutoIt v2,3 released by Jonathan Bennett in 1999, AutoHotkey has taken the code to an entirely different level, freeing it from its limitations. AutoHotkey is a free, open source utility which can automate almost anything by virtue of keystrokes and mouse clicks. You can write macros by hand or use the macro recorder, create hotkeys for keyboard, joystick, and mouse -- virtually any key, button, or combination can become a hotkey. Expand abbreviations as you type them. For example, typing "afn" can automatically produce "Access Foundation". Also, AutoHotkey can create custom data entry forms, user interfaces, and menu bars, or you can remap keys and buttons on your keyboard, joystick, and mouse, run existing AutoIt v2/3 scripts and enhance them with new capabilities, and convert any script into an EXE file that can be run on computers that don't have AutoHotkey installed. And that's just the start. After reading the brief introductory tutorial, I was able to replace the now ridiculously overpriced As-U-Type on my computer in about an hour. Check AutoHotkey out; you'll be glad you did and probably won't be able to live without it afterwards. And if you find it useful, please consider a small donation to help its continued development.
Cons: A challenge to CNET: I can't think of any, and I dare you to find a weakness of this program. The CNET editor wanted a GUI and script library, but scripting is text, and any text editor serves as your GUI. The script library is found throughout the Help file, with extensive examples and is thoroughly cross-indexed.
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11 out of 13 people found this review helpful
Version: AutoHotkey 1.0.36.07
"Great, Awesome, Sweet, Best-Ever Program!!!!!!"
Pros: I can't express my feelings about this program. It's just amazing. You MUST download it. At first, I thought it would be too hard for me to do all of the scripting stuff, but TRUST ME. IT'S EASY! Just read the tutorial in the help file, and off you go! This program can do almost ANYTHING!
Cons: Really no cons at all - except that it may be a TINY BIT hard for begginers.
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Version: AutoHotkey 1.0.36.07
Pros: The best feature........You get support from their forum. Got stuck? Don't worry someone will help you. AutoIT forums just flame you for asking a question. The syntax seems to be quick and easy. Less typing to get same results as in other scripting languages. Just a great program!
Cons: Still being developed - this is not a major con because new things happen all the time, new features and the like.
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Version: AutoHotkey 1.0.36.07
"After installing, I could make a script in my first try"
Pros: After installing, I could make a script in my first try. The text in the script was easy to understand and I used the help file to find out more about how to control the pausing. Now after less than 10 minutes since downloading, the software is running to do a repetitve task over and over again. It is wonderful.
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0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: AutoHotkey 1.0.36.07
"Get it! You won't regret it!"
Pros: Finding yourself repeating certain actions over and over again (and who doesn't), getting RSI in the maintime?
Leave your mouse alone and use your keyboard, a joystick as a trigger, and let ahk's capabilities do the action...
Take a look at your traybar, what is all running there (you know who you are ;)...)?
AutoHotkey can replace most of it...
AutoHotkey can easily replace many softwares available, with not too many code, and most of all: it's easy!
Much of what you would like to be able to do on your computer, can be done by AutoHotkey...
You can (try to) build your own version of your favorite application, but you'll be in control, you can make it as small or as extended as you wish, and you control how it looks!
You can easily hook up other utilities to help. Ahk can run programs, call dll's and do send/postmessage, so one can even 'control' the Windows API to a certain extent. It can run as script directly, or as an executable (with optional encryption).
It would be a shame if you didn't try it :p ...
Don't forget to check out the forum, everybody is very willing to help you out, but please take the time to read the excellent manual and experiment a bit, before you start asking 'too easy' questions in the forum ;)
- See all 5 user reviews Write review
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