Behavior Configuration

Some behaviors have properties to adjust how they behave. These can also be used as templates to create custom behaviors when none of the built-in behaviors do what you want.

See Configuration Overview for instructions on how to change these settings.

See the zmk/app/dts/behaviors/ folder for all default behaviors.

Common

Kconfig

Config	Type	Description	Default
CONFIG_ZMK_BEHAVIORS_QUEUE_SIZE	int	Maximum number of behaviors to allow queueing from a macro or other complex behavior	64

Devicetree

Definition file: zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/behavior-metadata.yaml

Property	Type	Description	Default
display-name	string	Name of the layer, for use with a display or ZMK Studio

Caps Word

Creates a custom behavior that behaves similar to a caps lock but deactivates when any key not in a continue list is pressed.

See the caps word behavior documentation for more details and examples.

Devicetree

Definition file: zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-caps-word.yaml

Applies to: compatible = "zmk,behavior-caps-word"

Property	Type	Description	Default
#binding-cells	int	Must be <0>
continue-list	array	List of keycodes which do not deactivate caps lock	<UNDERSCORE BACKSPACE DELETE>
mods	int	A bit field of modifiers to apply	<MOD_LSFT>

continue-list is treated as if it always includes alphanumeric characters (A-Z, 0-9).

See dt-bindings/zmk/modifiers.h for a list of modifiers.

You can use the following nodes to tweak the default behaviors:

Node	Behavior
&caps_word	Caps Word

Hold-Tap

Creates a custom behavior that triggers one behavior when a key is held or a different one when the key is tapped.

See the hold-tap behavior documentation for more details and examples.

Kconfig

Config	Type	Description	Default
CONFIG_ZMK_BEHAVIOR_HOLD_TAP_MAX_HELD	int	Maximum number of simultaneous held hold-taps	10
CONFIG_ZMK_BEHAVIOR_HOLD_TAP_MAX_CAPTURED_EVENTS	int	Maximum number of system events to capture while deferring a hold or tap decision resolution	40

Devicetree

Definition file: zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-hold-tap.yaml

Applies to: compatible = "zmk,behavior-hold-tap"

Property	Type	Description	Default
#binding-cells	int	Must be <2>
bindings	phandles	A list of two behaviors (without parameters): one for hold and one for tap
flavor	string	Adjusts how the behavior chooses between hold and tap	"hold-preferred"
tapping-term-ms	int	How long in milliseconds the key must be held to trigger a hold
quick-tap-ms	int	Tap twice within this period (in milliseconds) to trigger a tap, even when held	-1 (disabled)
require-prior-idle-ms	int	Triggers a tap immediately if any non-modifier key was pressed within require-prior-idle-ms of the hold-tap	-1 (disabled)
retro-tap	bool	Triggers the tap behavior on release if no other key was pressed during a hold	false
hold-while-undecided	bool	Triggers the hold behavior immediately on press and releases before a tap	false
hold-while-undecided-linger	bool	Continues to hold the hold behavior until after the tap is released	false
hold-trigger-key-positions	array	If set, pressing the hold-tap and then any key position not in the list triggers a tap
hold-trigger-on-release	bool	If set, delays the evaluation of hold-trigger-key-positions until key release	false

This behavior forwards the first parameter it receives to the parameter of the first behavior specified in bindings, and second parameter to the parameter of the second behavior.

The flavor property may be one of:

• "hold-preferred"
• "balanced"
• "tap-preferred"
• "tap-unless-interrupted"

See the hold-tap behavior documentation for an explanation of each flavor.

hold-trigger-key-positions is an array of zero-based key position indices.

You can use the following nodes to tweak the default behaviors:

Node	Behavior
&lt	Layer-tap
&mt	Mod-tap

Key Repeat

Creates a custom behavior that repeats the whatever key code was last sent.

See the key repeat behavior documentation for more details and examples.

Devicetree

Definition file: zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-key-repeat.yaml

Applies to: compatible = "zmk,behavior-key-repeat"

Property	Type	Description	Default
#binding-cells	int	Must be <0>
usage-pages	array	List of HID usage pages to track	<HID_USAGE_KEY>

For the usage-pages property, use the HID_USAGE_* defines from dt-bindings/zmk/hid_usage_pages.h.

You can use the following nodes to tweak the default behaviors:

Node	Behavior
&key_repeat	Key repeat

Key Toggle

Creates a custom behavior that toggles a key code on, off, or switches between the two states.

See the key toggle behavior documentation for more details and examples.

Devicetree

Definition file: zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-key-toggle.yaml

Applies to: compatible = "zmk,behavior-key-toggle"

Property	Type	Description	Default
#binding-cells	int	Must be <1>
toggle-mode		One of on, off, and flip	flip

You can use the following node to tweak the default behavior:

Node	Behavior
&kt	Key toggle

Layer Toggle

Creates a custom behavior that toggles a layer on, off, or switches between the two states.

See the layer toggle behavior documentation for more details and examples.

Devicetree

Definition file: zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-layer-toggle.yaml

Applies to: compatible = "zmk,behavior-layer-toggle"

Property	Type	Description	Default
#binding-cells	int	Must be <1>
toggle-mode		One of on, off, and flip	flip

You can use the following node to tweak the default behavior:

Node	Behavior
&tog	Layer toggle

Macro

Creates a custom behavior which triggers a sequence of other behaviors.

See the macro behavior documentation for more details and examples.

Kconfig

Config	Type	Description	Default
CONFIG_ZMK_MACRO_DEFAULT_WAIT_MS	int	Default value for wait-ms in macros.	15
CONFIG_ZMK_MACRO_DEFAULT_TAP_MS	int	Default value for tap-ms in macros.	30

Devicetree

Definition files:

• zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-macro.yaml
• zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-macro-one-param.yaml
• zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-macro-two-param.yaml

Property	Type	Description	Default
compatible	string	Macro type, must be one of: "zmk,behavior-macro" "zmk,behavior-macro-one-param" "zmk,behavior-macro-two-param"
#binding-cells	int	Must be <0> if compatible = "zmk,behavior-macro" <1> if compatible = "zmk,behavior-macro-one-param" <2> if compatible = "zmk,behavior-macro-two-param"
bindings	phandle array	List of behaviors to trigger
wait-ms	int	The default time to wait (in milliseconds) before triggering the next behavior.	CONFIG_ZMK_MACRO_DEFAULT_WAIT_MS
tap-ms	int	The default time to wait (in milliseconds) between the press and release events of a tapped behavior.	CONFIG_ZMK_MACRO_DEFAULT_TAP_MS

With compatible = "zmk,behavior-macro-one-param" or compatible = "zmk,behavior-macro-two-param", this behavior forwards the parameters it receives according to the &macro_param_* control behaviors noted below.

Macro Control Behaviors

The following macro-specific behaviors can be added at any point in the bindings list to change how the macro triggers subsequent behaviors.

Behavior	Description
&macro_tap	Switches to tap mode
&macro_press	Switches to press mode
&macro_release	Switches to release mode
&macro_pause_for_release	Pauses the macro until the macro key itself is released
&macro_wait_time TIME	Changes the time to wait (in milliseconds) before triggering the next behavior.
&macro_tap_time TIME	Changes the time to wait (in milliseconds) between the press and release events of a tapped behavior.
&macro_param_1to1	Forward the first parameter received by the macro to the first parameter of the next (non-macro control) behavior.
&macro_param_1to2	Forward the first parameter received by the macro to the second parameter of the next (non-macro control) behavior.
&macro_param_2to1	Forward the second parameter received by the macro to the first parameter of the next (non-macro control) behavior.
&macro_param_2to2	Forward the second parameter received by the macro to the second parameter of the next (non-macro control) behavior.

Mod-Morph

Creates a custom behavior that triggers one of two behaviors depending on whether certain modifiers are held.

See the mod-morph behavior documentation for more details and examples.

Devicetree

Definition file: zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-mod-morph.yaml

Applies to: compatible = "zmk,behavior-mod-morph"

Property	Type	Description
#binding-cells	int	Must be <0>
bindings	phandle array	A list of two behaviors: one for normal press and one for mod morphed press
mods	int	A bit field of modifiers. The morph behavior is used if any of these are pressed.

See dt-bindings/zmk/modifiers.h for a list of modifiers.

You can use the following nodes to tweak the default behaviors:

Node	Behavior
&gresc	Grave escape

Sensor Rotation

Creates a custom behavior which sends a tap of other behaviors when a sensor is rotated. Has two variants: with compatible = "zmk,behavior-sensor-rotate" it accepts no parameters when used, whereas with compatible = "zmk,behavior-sensor-rotate-var" it accepts two parameters.

See the sensor rotation behavior documentation for more details and examples.

Devicetree

Definition files:

• zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-sensor-rotate.yaml
• zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-sensor-rotate-var.yaml

Applies to: compatible = "zmk,behavior-sensor-rotate"

Property	Type	Description	Default
#sensor-binding-cells	int	Must be <0>
bindings	phandles	A list of two behaviors to trigger for each rotation direction, must include any behavior parameters
tap-ms	int	The tap duration (between press and release events) in milliseconds for behaviors in bindings	5

Applies to: compatible = "zmk,behavior-sensor-rotate-var"

Property	Type	Description	Default
#sensor-binding-cells	int	Must be <2>
bindings	phandle array	A list of two behaviors to trigger for each rotation direction, must exclude any behavior parameters
tap-ms	int	The tap duration (between press and release events) in milliseconds for behaviors in bindings	5

With compatible = "zmk,behavior-sensor-rotate-var", this behavior forwards the first parameter it receives to the parameter of the first behavior specified in bindings, and second parameter to the parameter of the second behavior.

Sticky Key

Creates a custom behavior that triggers a behavior and keeps it pressed it until another key is pressed and released.

See the sticky key behavior and sticky layer behavior documentation for more details and examples.

Kconfig

Config	Type	Description	Default
CONFIG_ZMK_BEHAVIOR_STICKY_KEY_MAX_HELD	int	Maximum number of simultaneous held sticky keys	10

Devicetree

Definition file: zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-sticky-key.yaml

Applies to: compatible = "zmk,behavior-sticky-key"

Property	Type	Description	Default
#binding-cells	int	Must be <1>
bindings	phandles	A behavior (without parameters) to trigger
release-after-ms	int	Releases the key after this many milliseconds if no other key is pressed	1000
quick-release	bool	Release the sticky key on the next key press instead of release	false
lazy	bool	Wait until the next key press to activate the sticky key behavior	false
ignore-modifiers	bool	If enabled, pressing a modifier key does not cancel the sticky key	true

This behavior forwards the one parameter it receives to the parameter of the behavior specified in bindings.

You can use the following nodes to tweak the default behaviors:

Node	Behavior
&sk	Sticky key
&sl	Sticky layer

Tap Dance

Creates a custom behavior that triggers a different behavior corresponding to the number of times the key is tapped.

See the tap dance behavior documentation for more details and examples.

Kconfig

Config	Type	Description	Default
CONFIG_ZMK_BEHAVIOR_TAP_DANCE_MAX_HELD	int	Maximum number of simultaneous held tap-dances	10

Devicetree

Definition file: zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-tap-dance.yaml

Applies to: compatible = "zmk,behavior-tap-dance"

Property	Type	Description	Default
#binding-cells	int	Must be <0>
bindings	phandle array	A list of behaviors from which to select
tapping-term-ms	int	The maximum time (in milliseconds) between taps before an item from bindings is triggered.	200

Two Axis Input

This behavior is part of the core pointing devices feature, and is used to generate X/Y and scroll input events. It is the underlying behavior used for the mouse move and scroll behaviors.

Devicetree

Definition file: zmk/app/dts/bindings/behaviors/zmk,behavior-input-two-axis.yaml

Applies to: compatible = "zmk,behavior-input-two-axis"

Property	Type	Description	Default
#binding-cells	int	Must be <1>
x-input-code	int	The relative event code for generated input events for the X-axis.
y-input-code	int	The relative event code for generated input events for the Y-axis.
trigger-period-ms	int	How many milliseconds between generated input events based on the current speed/direction.	16
delay-ms	int	How many milliseconds to delay any processing or event generation when first pressed.	0
time-to-max-speed-ms	int	How many milliseconds it takes to accelerate to the curren max speed.	0
acceleration-exponent	int	The acceleration exponent to apply: 0 - uniform speed, 1 - uniform acceleration, 2 - linear acceleration	1