ShortKeys, the Windows text-expansion utility by Insight Software Solutions, is no longer sold or
maintained; its websites (shortkeys.com, macros.com) are offline. If you relied on ShortKeys 3 or ShortKeys 4 —
the // prefix, the .shk files, the tray icon — you don't have to rebuild anything.
KeySim was built as a modern ShortKeys replacement: it reads your existing ShortKeys data files directly and keeps the workflow you already know, on Windows 10 and 11.
Download KeySim — free 30-day trial
Shortkeys4.shk (or a .~shk backup) in your
Documents or ShortKeys program folder. KeySim also reads shortKeysConfig.wcfg to carry over your
preferences (prefix, suffix keys, playback and backup settings)..shk file. KeySim converts everything — abbreviations, replacement text, and legacy
<ENTER>/<TAB>-style commands — automatically. Type // and your
first abbreviation anywhere: it just works.| Capability | ShortKeys 4 | KeySim |
|---|---|---|
Text expansion with // prefix or suffix keys | ✓ | ✓ |
Reads ShortKeys .shk / .~shk / .wcfg files | ✓ | ✓ (direct import) |
| Keystroke commands (Enter, Tab, Ctrl-combos, dates) | ✓ | ✓ (auto-converted) |
| Per-program scoping | ✓ | ✓ |
| Still maintained & sold | ✗ discontinued | ✓ |
| Windows 11 support | unsupported | ✓ |
| Encrypted shortkey library | ✗ | ✓ (AES-256) |
| Share shortkeys between PCs (OneDrive/network) | ✗ | ✓ with merge |
| Fill-in form fields | ✗ | ✓ ({FIELD:…}) |
| Snippet picker popup (search & insert) | ✗ | ✓ Ctrl+Shift+Space |
| AutoCorrect dictionary pack | ✗ | ✓ (~300 fixes) |
| Time-saved statistics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dark theme | ✗ | ✓ |
| Stay-awake mode (Caffeine) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Code-signed installer, per-user (no admin) | ✗ | ✓ |
One-time purchase from $29 with a year of updates — see pricing.
Insight Software Solutions discontinued ShortKeys; the shortkeys.com and macros.com domains have gone offline and the software receives no updates. Existing installations keep running, but there is no way to buy it, activate it on a new PC, or get support.
Yes. KeySim's importer reads the ShortKeys 4 binary .shk format (and .~shk backups)
directly and converts every abbreviation, replacement text and keystroke command. The default //
prefix and the familiar suffix-key behaviour are KeySim's defaults too.
Often, but unsupported — and unsigned software with a keyboard hook is increasingly blocked by antivirus tools. KeySim is actively maintained, code-signed, and built for Windows 10/11.
KeySim has a full-featured free 30-day trial (no card, no account). After that it's a one-time purchase — Personal $29, Pro $49 — including a year of updates.
No — the Shortkeys browser extension maps keyboard shortcuts inside Chrome. This page is about the discontinued ShortKeys Windows text expander by Insight Software Solutions, and KeySim, its Windows replacement.