{"id":808621,"date":"2023-01-27T10:00:08","date_gmt":"2023-01-27T17:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/us\/?p=804665"},"modified":"2023-09-11T10:55:24","modified_gmt":"2023-09-11T17:55:24","slug":"wacom-expresskey-remote-writing-shortcuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wacom-expresskey-remote-writing-shortcuts\/","title":{"rendered":"How to turn the Wacom ExpressKey Remote into a writing shortcut machine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Though Wacom pen tablets and creative pen displays are often called \u201cdrawing tablets,\u201d that\u2019s not all they can be used for. Want to learn more about how I use my Wacom tablet for leveling up my writing workflow? Check out this blog post<\/a>. Now, let\u2019s take it a step further \u2014 using the ExpressKey Remote<\/a> takes my writing efficiency to the next level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the ExpressKey Remote for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"ExpressKey<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some Wacom products \u2014 Intuos, Intuos Pro, and the new Cintiq Pro 27 \u2014 come with built-in ExpressKeys, which can be mapped to keyboard commands or to quickly perform other tasks, making workflows more efficient and customizable. But some don\u2019t \u2014 and that\u2019s where the ExpressKey Remote<\/a> comes in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But does it make sense to charge<\/em> for a separate product that does something that, on some Wacom products, is included<\/em>? Well, not so fast. First, the ExpressKey Remote has seventeen<\/em> programmable buttons and a scroll wheel, compared to the four buttons included on the Wacom Intuos, for example \u2014 opening up nearly limitless uses<\/a>. Because it\u2019s separate from the device, it also can be placed anywhere, meaning setting up your workspace to be as comfortable and ergonomic as possible is completely up to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been using an ExpressKey Remote as a writing aid since I originally wrote the previous article, and sorry, Intuos, you\u2019ve been replaced. Don\u2019t get me wrong, using a tablet still works well. But these days, I\u2019ve been using a combination of my Wacom Cintiq with its pen as my main display \u2014  more precise clicks, easier highlighting \u2014 along with a mouse for my second monitor, and the ExpressKey Remote, which fits all my writing shortcuts with room to spare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It might take some time to memorize which hotkeys you\u2019ve programmed to which buttons, but once you get fluid, you\u2019ll be able to lay the ExpressKey Remote on your work surface \u2014 I keep mine between the keyboard and mousepad \u2014 and execute all your writing shortcuts one-handed, letting you focus on putting words on the page, not remembering hotkey combos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting up keyboard shortcuts on the ExpressKey Remote<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is the arrangement I\u2019ve arrived at after using the ExpressKey Remote, and tweaking the shortcuts, for several months for the purpose of writing things to publish online. Of course, you might have different preferences for your workflow \u2014 consider this a suggestion that you can use or build off of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Software<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I do my professional writing in Google Docs, so the focus for this article will be on Google Chrome key commands and shortcuts, but I\u2019ve also tossed in shortcuts for Microsoft Word, since it was the program used for demonstration purposes in the last article. The difference in the two\u2019s shortcuts are almost negligible, as they will be for most other programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for the default keyboard shortcuts for the software you use, here are shortcut lists for a handful of common alternative writing programs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n