# Implementing custom app hotkeys

In UI Bakery, you can implement custom hotkeys for your application if necessary. You can do this using UI Bakery actions and the [hotkeys-js](https://github.com/jaywcjlove/hotkeys-js) library. Check it out:point\_down:

1. Start by connecting the [hotkeys-js](https://github.com/jaywcjlove/hotkeys-js) library - navigate to the **Custom code** tab and add the following script tag:

```html
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/hotkeys-js@3.10.1/dist/hotkeys.min.js"></script>
```

{% hint style="info" %}
You can find more information on connecting and using external JavaScript libraries [here](https://docs.uibakery.io/data/connect-external-js-library#using-external-third-party-js-library).
{% endhint %}

2. Next, set up a **global** action to define the hotkeys:
   1. Click on the app area or select your current page in the *Pages* tab to access the **Settings** of the current page (right side panel).
   2. For the **On App Load/On Page Load** trigger, click *Create action.*
   3. Add a **JavaScript Code** action and define your hotkeys and action calls in the code, for example:

```javascript
hotkeys('E', function(event, handler){
  event.preventDefault();
  alert('E');
});
```

3. Now, test the hotkey - run the action, focus the app area, and press the **E keyboard key**.\
   This should open the browser alert.

{% hint style="warning" %}
The hotkeys will only work when the **app area is focused**. If the hotkeys don't work, try clicking on the app area to focus it.
{% endhint %}

You can also refer to [hotkeys-js documentation](https://github.com/jaywcjlove/hotkeys-js#defining-shortcuts) for additional information on defining hotkeys.

{% @arcade/embed flowId="Gao49XFZjvZEUtGSzENL" url="<https://app.arcade.software/share/Gao49XFZjvZEUtGSzENL>" %}

***

You can also further extend the code above and define a **hotkey-action pairing** assuming that you've already configured the actions that you'd like to trigger with the hotkeys, for example:

```javascript
hotkeys('ctrl+a,ctrl+b,r,f', async function (event, handler){
  switch (handler.key) {
    case 'ctrl+a':
      await actions.hotkeyA.trigger();
      break;
    case 'ctrl+b':
      await actions.hotkeyB.trigger();
      break;
    case 'r': 
      alert('you pressed r!');
      break;
    case 'f': 
      alert('you pressed f!');
      break;
  }
});
```

{% hint style="info" %}
Notice how this example utilizes the ability to call UI Bakery actions using *async/await syntax* with `await actions.hotkeyA.trigger();`. Refer to [this article](https://docs.uibakery.io/concepts/actions/action-basics/use-actions.name.trigger) for more details on calling actions from code.
{% endhint %}

After defining and setting everything up, you need to reload the app to test the final setup. The hotkeys action will be executed upon app/page load, defining the hotkeys to activate the app's actions.

<figure><img src="https://837703843-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FUX6zPRMFFK0yrTghj7cY%2Fuploads%2FqHasyt8MYt4PZ2GiHwWd%2FCleanShot%202025-03-24%20at%2018.36.32%402x-min.png?alt=media&#x26;token=0e8d2970-da7a-4e32-954c-f659060a5f66" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>


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