Designing a custom keycap set can be challenging, especially when you need to account for your keyboard layout, keycap profile, colors, and legends. The 3dkeycap Customizer makes it easier to plan your design and visualize your keycap set before placing an order.
What Is the 3dkeycap Customizer?
The 3dkeycap Customizer is an online tool that helps you plan and visualize a custom keycap layout. Instead of choosing keycaps individually without a visual reference, you can use the tool to organize your design and explore how different elements work together.
It is particularly useful for users with split, ergonomic, and other mechanical keyboard layouts who need to plan their keycap sets carefully.
Follow the steps below to get started.
Step 1. Open the 3dkeycap Customizer
Start by opening the 3dkeycap Customizer.
https://customkeycaplayout.netlify.app/customize
Step 2. Select Your Switch Type
First, choose the type of switches your keyboard uses. The 3dkeycap Customizer provides three options:
- MX: For standard MX-style switches and compatible keycaps.
- MX Low-Profile: For compatible MX low-profile switches, which have a slimmer design than standard MX switches.
- Choc: For Kailh Choc switches, commonly used in low-profile and compact keyboard builds.
Select the option that matches your keyboard to ensure you're configuring the appropriate keycap set.
Step 3: Choose Your Keyboard Layout
Next, select the layout that matches your keyboard. The layout determines the arrangement of keys you'll use as the foundation for your custom set.
Choose the appropriate layout for your keyboard, whether it's a split ergonomic keyboard or another supported configuration. Review the arrangement to make sure it matches your intended setup before continuing.
Step 4: Select Your Keycap Profile
After choosing your layout, select your preferred keycap profile from the available options.
Keycap profiles differ in height, shape, and sculpting, which can affect both the appearance and typing feel of your keyboard. Choose a profile that suits your preferences and is compatible with your selected switch type and keyboard layout.
If you're unsure which profile to choose, consult our keycap profile guide to learn more about the available options.
https://3dkeycap.com/pages/keycap-profiles-comparator
Step 5. Choose Your Material and Color
Next, choose your preferred material and color from the available options. 3dkeycap offers resin and nylon keycaps, each with a different surface finish and color selection.
- Nylon has a textured surface similar to smooth concrete and is available in black and gray. It is compatible with all standard MX profiles and some MX low-profile profiles, but is not available for Choc V1 profiles.
- Resin has a smoother finish, similar to standard PBT keycaps. Base colors include black, white, gray, and transparent-frosted. Additional solid (opaque) colors include yellow, orange, red, magenta, purple, blue, and green.
Available materials and colors depend on your selected switch type and keycap profile. Check the options displayed in the Customizer before continuing.
Step 6. Choose Your Legends
Next, choose how you want your keycaps to display characters. The 3dkeycap Customizer offers three options: No Legends, Standard Legends, and Custom Legends.
Step 6.1: No Legends
Choose No Legends if you prefer blank keycaps without printed characters. This option is ideal for a clean, minimalist look.
Step 6.2: Standard Legends (+$50)
Choose Standard Legends to add standard characters for your selected keyboard layout. This option is suitable if you want familiar letters, numbers, and symbols without customizing each key individually.
Step 6.3: Custom Legends (+$75)
Choose Custom Legends if you want to personalize your keycaps with custom text, positioning, or images. This option gives you more flexibility to create a design that suits your keyboard and preferences.
Review the available options and additional fees before continuing.
Step 7. Customize Individual Key Legends
If you selected Custom Legends, you can personalize individual keycaps using the Keycap Editor. The editor lets you change the legend text, font, size, alignment, position, and visual effects.
Step 7.1: Select a Keycap to Edit
Select the keycap you want to customize to open the Keycap Editor. The editor displays the selected key's row, position, and size, helping you identify which key you're editing.
Step 7.2: Choose the Keycap Color
Use the Key Color option to select the color for the individual keycap. You can coordinate it with the rest of your layout or use a contrasting color to highlight specific keys.
Step 7.3: Enter Your Legend Text
Enter the desired character or text in the legend field. You can customize labels for individual keys, such as letters, numbers, symbols, or other text that suits your layout.
Step 7.4: Add or Manage Legends
The editor includes controls for managing legend entries. Use the + control to add another legend when needed, and use the available legend selector to switch between entries.
This is useful when you want to place multiple characters or symbols on a single keycap.
Step 7.5: Customize the Legend Style
Use the Style controls to access additional legend styling options. You can also use the available upload control to add an image if your design requires a custom graphic.
Review the available controls and confirm that your selected style produces the intended result.
Step 7.6: Customize the Font and Size
Choose a font from the available font options and adjust the size to suit your design. You can also use the available formatting controls, such as bold and italic, to change the appearance of your legend.
Step 7.7: Adjust Legend Alignment and Position
Use the alignment and positioning controls to determine where the legend appears on the keycap. You can adjust its placement to create centered legends or position characters differently according to your design.
Step 7.8: Apply a Legend Effect
The Keycap Editor offers several visual effects to change how your legends appear:
None keeps the legend in its default style. Outline adds an outline, while Hollow creates a hollow appearance. Shadow, Glow, Soft Shadow, 3D, and Neon provide additional visual treatments.
Choose an effect that complements your design and keeps the legend easy to distinguish.
Step 7.9: Copy a Legend Style
If you want multiple keycaps to share the same appearance, use Copy style to reuse a style rather than configuring every key from scratch.
This can help maintain a consistent look across your keycap set.
Step 7.10: Review Your Customizations
After editing a keycap, review the legend text, color, font, position, and effects. Repeat the process for other keys that need customization.
When you're satisfied with the result, close the Keycap Editor and continue reviewing your complete layout.
Step 8. Add Extra Keycaps
If you need additional keys beyond the base set, click the Extra Keycaps section to explore the available options. This can be useful if your keyboard requires additional keys or you want extras for your preferred configuration.
Review your selections to ensure your set includes the keys you need.
Step 9: Explore the Customizer Display Controls
The 3dkeycap Customizer includes several display controls that let you adjust how you view your keycap design.
Dark Mode lets you switch the interface's appearance, while Animation controls the animated display of your design. Outline and Sizes provide additional viewing options to help you inspect your keycaps.
You can also explore Studio for additional customization or viewing controls available in the interface.
Experiment with these settings to find a viewing setup that makes it easier to work on your design.
Step 10: Navigate and Inspect Your Design
You can interact with the 3D view to examine your keycap layout from different angles. The on-screen navigation guide displays the available controls.
Use the Select control to interact with your design, Rotate to change the viewing angle, and Zoom to move closer to or farther away from the keycaps.
Take time to inspect the layout from different perspectives to check the overall arrangement and appearance of your design.
Step 11: Save Your Design
If you want to keep your configuration for later, select Save Design.
You can also access My Layouts from the top-right navigation to view your saved layouts. This is useful if you want to revisit a design before deciding to place an order.
Make sure to follow any prompts displayed by the Customizer when saving your configuration.
Step 12: Add Your Design to Cart
Once you're satisfied with your design and the displayed total, select Add to Cart to proceed with your purchase.
Review your order details and follow the checkout instructions to complete your order.
Before finalizing your purchase, double-check that your selected configuration matches the keycap set you want.
Share: