A GNOME utility for safely enabling and disabling your laptop's built-in keyboard without affecting external keyboards.
KeyFlip started from a simple problem: when a laptop is used like a desktop, the built-in keyboard can become something you accidentally press, cover, or need to clean. KeyFlip turns that into a deliberate, reversible mode instead of a terminal command you have to remember.
Current version: 0.2.0-beta
- 💻 Laptop Mode — keeps the internal keyboard enabled
- ⌨️ Desk Mode — disables the internal keyboard while external keyboards remain available
- 🧹 Cleaning Mode — temporarily blocks keyboard input for 60 seconds while keeping the mouse or trackpad usable
- ⚡ Global shortcut —
Super + Shift + Ktoggles Laptop/Desk Mode - 🔌 Automatic switching — optionally enters Desk Mode when a USB or Bluetooth keyboard connects
- 🛡️ Safety checks — warns before disabling the internal keyboard when no external keyboard is detected
- 🖥️ GNOME panel controls — change modes without reopening the app
- 🪟 Wayland + X11 support
Panel controls, automatic switching, and the global shortcut continue working while the main KeyFlip window is closed.
sudo dnf copr enable mikachu/keyflip
sudo dnf install keyflipThen launch KeyFlip from the applications menu or run:
keyflipIf the GNOME panel integration does not appear after the first install, log out and back in. You can also enable the extension manually:
gnome-extensions enable keyflip@miflow13.github.io
KeyFlip is developed and tested primarily on Fedora + GNOME.
| Feature | Support |
|---|---|
| Fedora | ✅ |
| GNOME | ✅ |
| Wayland | ✅ |
| X11 | ✅ |
| i8042 / AT internal keyboards | ✅ |
| External USB keyboards | ✅ Remain enabled |
| Bluetooth keyboards | ✅ Remain enabled |
| Internal USB keyboards | ❌ Not yet supported |
| Internal I2C keyboards | ❌ Not yet supported |
The included GNOME extension currently targets GNOME Shell 50.
- Python 3
- GTK4 /
python3-gobject polkitutil-linuxsystemdpython3-evdevon Fedora orpython-evdevon Arch for Cleaning Mode
The built-in laptop keyboard works normally.
KeyFlip disables supported internal laptop keyboards while leaving USB and Bluetooth keyboards available. Use this when the laptop is being used more like a desktop or an external keyboard sits over or near the built-in one.
Cleaning Mode temporarily blocks keyboard input for 60 seconds so the keyboard can be cleaned without triggering shortcuts or accidental typing. The mouse and trackpad remain usable, and End Cleaning restores input immediately.
Cleaning Mode technical details
Release any held keys before starting Cleaning Mode.
Cleaning temporarily pauses panel controls and automatic mode switching while preserving the previous Laptop/Desk Mode. If the internal keyboard was disabled before cleaning, it remains disabled afterward.
For devices that combine keyboard and pointer input on one event endpoint, KeyFlip attempts to filter keyboard events while forwarding pointer input. If this cannot be configured safely, Cleaning Mode stops instead of leaving only part of the keyboard set blocked.
New input devices are checked approximately every 100 ms during cleaning.
KeyFlip can automatically switch to Desk Mode when a USB or Bluetooth keyboard connects. When the last external keyboard disconnects, it can return to Laptop Mode.
Automatic switching is configurable from the main application.
With the GNOME extension enabled:
Super + Shift + K
switches between Laptop Mode and Desk Mode from anywhere in GNOME.
To change it:
gsettings set io.github.miflow13.KeyFlip toggle-mode-shortcut "['<Super><Shift>j']"Disable it:
gsettings set io.github.miflow13.KeyFlip toggle-mode-shortcut "[]"Restore the default:
gsettings reset io.github.miflow13.KeyFlip toggle-mode-shortcutDownload and extract:
keyflip-0.2.0-beta.tar.gz
From the extracted directory:
sudo ./install.shThis installs the GTK application, GNOME Shell extension, panel controls, global shortcut, and keyboard-control helper.
For Cleaning Mode on Fedora:
sudo dnf install python3-evdevCombined keyboard/pointer devices also require /dev/uinput.
From the source directory:
sudo ./uninstall.shOr remove the Fedora package:
sudo dnf remove keyflipOptionally remove the COPR repository:
sudo dnf copr remove mikachu/keyflipCreate a source package with:
make packageThis validates the source and creates:
dist/keyflip-0.2.0-beta.tar.gz
Development validation uses tools including Node.js, desktop-file-validate, appstreamcli, and glib-compile-schemas; these are not required simply to run an installed copy.
Place the source archive beside packaging/arch/PKGBUILD, then run:
updpkgsums
makepkgPlace the source archive in the RPM SOURCES directory and build using:
packaging/obs/keyflip.spec
KeyFlip combines a GTK4 application, GNOME Shell integration, system-level keyboard control, device detection, persistent settings, and safety fallbacks. The project is intentionally conservative around input-device changes: when KeyFlip cannot determine that a transition is safe, it prefers not to disable input.
KeyFlip was developed with help from AI tools for coding, debugging, documentation, and learning. I review, test, modify, and take responsibility for everything released in this project.
KeyFlip is still in active development. Bug reports, hardware compatibility reports, and feature suggestions are welcome.