AutoHotkey: free keyboard shortcuts and automation for Windows
AutoHotkey lets you create your own shortcuts and small automations on Windows. Its site says it is free and open source under the GNU GPLv2.
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What it is
AutoHotkey lets you make your own keyboard shortcuts and small automations on Windows. Its home page calls it "a free, open-source scripting language for Windows" for tasks such as "form fillers, auto-clicking, macros, etc." You write a short text file, called a script, and AutoHotkey runs it in the background. It is not an AI tool, and it needs a little typing of code, so it suits people who are comfortable following examples.
Is it free?
Yes. The home page says it is "free, open-source (GNU GPLv2)" and the footer says "Free and Open Source software, licensed under the GNU GPLv2". The downloads page showed no price, account or sign-up.
What it can do, per its site
- Hotkeys: define shortcuts for the keyboard and mouse, or remap keys and buttons. The docs show a one-line example:
#n::Run "notepad"opens Notepad when you press Win+N. - Hotstrings: autocorrect-like replacements, where typing a short text expands to something longer. The docs list "Hotstrings and auto-replace".
- Other scripts: the home page also mentions clipboard examples, small windows (GUIs) and form fillers.
- The docs include "How to write hotkeys", "How to send keystrokes", "How to run programs" and "How to manage windows" guides, plus a beginner tutorial.
How to get it
- Go to autohotkey.com/download. The page shows "Latest Stable Version: 2.0.30" and a GitHub mirror.
- Follow the "How to use the program" and "How to run example code" pages in the v2 documentation.
- We did not check the exact system requirements on the pages we read.
What to watch out for
- Scripts can do a lot. A script can press keys and click for you. Run only scripts you wrote or understand. Scripts shared online can do harmful things. That advice is ours, not the project's.
- Antivirus warnings. The official FAQ says alerts about AutoHotkey or compiled scripts are "most often" false positives. It says to check a file with an online scanner or ask your antivirus vendor if in doubt. The downloads page also says Google Safe Browsing "sometimes falsely flags" its download directories as harmful. Get it only from the official site or its GitHub mirror.
- Admin windows. The FAQ says hotkeys do not work when a program running as administrator is active, unless you take extra steps.
- Versions. The site lists v2, v1.1 and older. Pick the latest stable version for new scripts. That is our suggestion.
Privacy and data
- We did not find a privacy statement for the app on the pages we read. We did not test what it sends.
- A script only does what its code says. If it uses the internet, that comes from the script.
India
- We saw no region limit and no price. We did not test downloads from India.
Frequently asked questions
Is AutoHotkey free?
Yes. Its site says it is free and open source under the GNU GPLv2.
Do I need to know how to code?
The site says it has easy built-in commands for beginners. You still write short text scripts.
Does it work on Mac?
No. The site describes it as a scripting language for Windows.
Sources: Home, Downloads, FAQ, How to write hotkeys. Checked 18 October 2026.
Scoped recheck 23 October 2026: latest stable version updated to 2.0.30 (was 2.0.26). Re-read and unchanged: free open-source GNU GPLv2 on home page and footer, no price or sign-up on downloads, GitHub mirror, Google Safe Browsing false-flag note, FAQ false-positive guidance with online-scanner suggestion, hotkeys not working while an admin program is active, the #n::Run notepad example, hotstrings/auto-replace and the v2 how-to guides. Links checked.
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