Keyboard manufacturer Keychron has recently taken to its public GitHub to post the source files for its K, L, P, Q, and V series keyboards, as well as its gaming mice. This means, with a little technical know-how, you can customise its products to your heart’s content.
As spotted by Digital Foundry, Keychron has been updating its GitHub repository over the last two days, refining and contributing more files, suggesting this will be a long-term project for the manufacturer.
It’s also not just a file dump. The GitHub has a step-by-step guide, linking out how to open files in CAD software, teaching users how to remix or modify designs, and even points them towards the Keychron community Discord, where fans can ask questions or show off builds.
With these files, you can find the exact Keychron keyboard you own, then build new cases, plates, keycaps, stabilizers, and all kinds of extra components for it. It’s a handy addition to buying a Keychron keyboard that, in the right hands, will get a little more out of each purchase. If you somehow break a part or just get tired of the aesthetics, you can customise it without having to create and implement your own designs from scratch.
In response to a developer asking about the commercial use of products made from the source code, Keychron updated the page to make it clear that anyone who makes accessories from these designs can freely sell them. However, modifying and selling full keyboards or mice is not permitted, according to its licenses.
(Image credit: Future)
One notable exclusion here are PCBs. There are no specific files present to create your own so, so you will still have to get those directly from Keychron or source your own. Theoretically, though, you can 3D print most of a Keychron keyboard now, should you choose to.
It’s a great move from Keychron, and one that should allow buyers to make their keyboards truly their own. It’s also just a neat step from a repairability standpoint, and will be particularly handy at some point in the future, should the keyboard become discontinued. We’ve seen efforts from the likes of Logitech to make its gear more repairable, so here’s hoping more manufacturers follow suit.
