Extra Keys Pro X for Linux

This is Extra Keys for Linux - based on the Windows edition of Extra Keys Pro but completely revised to run as a native Linux process.

Completely safe to try out. If unwanted or not working, then it is easy to remove - just delete one or possibly two files and it's gone. The application consists only of an executable file and a settings file created on the first run. No changes are made to your system configuration.

Extra Keys Pro is the extended edition of the basic Extra Keys tool and the only edition for Linux. It has all the features of its Windows equivalent except for one difference, in that it does not have the option to type into a named window. It functions in the same way as a virtual keyboard and will enter characters into the currently active application window - exactly like the physical keyboard.

Extra Keys is not designed as an actual virtual keyboard, it simply gives quick access to characters that are not on the physical QWERTY keyboard. Although it has the option to output character codes in various formats, it is also not intended as an replacement for a full Character Map. It is just a simple alternative!

Caution: this is an Xorg utility only, it will not work fully under Wayland.
Requires Xorg (aka X11, X Server) as the display server as the program uses XLib APIs to emulate keystrokes. It may not work properly with every Desktop Environment and in particular those configured to use Wayland, however, it has been tested on a number of popular Linux distros with various different Desktop Environments including Xfce, KDE, Fluxbox, Cinnamon, Gnome and Mate - all using Xorg of course. When tested on a Wayland system (using Ubuntu 24) the program loads without error but does not send characters to the active window. A Wayland compatible version may hopefully be possible in the future.

Installation is trivial, as it is portable software with only a single, self-contained executable file. Simply extract ExtraKeysProX from the download archive and save it to any convienient location. A 32-bit executable is included in the archive if needed. There is also a template to make a desktop launcher icon, but only if wanted.

First time the program is run it creates a small settings file, extrakeyspro.cfg, which is the only other file used. At run time the program shows an icon in the notification area of the taskbar, enabling the keys panel to be hidden or shown on demand. This is usually no issue but some distros don't include the notification area by default, such as Trisquel with Mate, though very easy to add it.