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Screencast Keys

by nutti·Workflow

Images © nutti. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Screencast Keys earns its place in the blender_extensions library for turning key presses, mouse actions, and the last operator into a customizable on-screen display. A demo video is available, and the tutorial documents each option in detail.

What is Screencast Keys?

Screencast Keys shows the keyboard and mouse status inside Blender, along with the operator executed last. The add-on is intended for making Blender tutorials. You can change which area, region, or window the status appears in.

The display is heavily customizable. Options cover text color, shadow, background planes and modes, font size, margin, line thickness, and the size of the figure that shows held mouse status. Origin, align, and offset settings control where texts and figures appear, and repeated keys can be shown as a single string such as Tab x5. Max Event History limits how many key events are shown, while Display Time controls how long each event stays visible.

Additional settings include custom mouse images, enabling the add-on on Blender startup, adding its menu to the sidebar or Viewport Overlays, and toggling the display with Shift + Alt + C. It is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later.

Who is Screencast Keys best for?

Screencast Keys is best for recording and building Blender tutorials where on-screen keyboard, mouse, and operator feedback is needed.

How much does Screencast Keys cost?

Screencast Keys is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Displays keyboard and mouse status on screen, with the last executed operator shown as well
  • Customizable text color, shadow, and background planes with an adjustable corner radius
  • Controls for font size, margin, line thickness, and mouse-figure size
  • Origin, align, and offset options to position texts and figures by region, area, window, or cursor
  • Repeat Count merges repeated key presses into a single string (e.g. Tab x5), with Max Event History and Display Time limits
  • Custom mouse images for base, left, right, and middle button states
  • Enable on Blender startup, place the menu in the sidebar or Viewport Overlays, and toggle with Shift + Alt + C

Tags

#Screencast Keys#Blender#keyboard overlay#tutorial recording#mouse events#on-screen keys#add-on

Frequently asked questions

Does Screencast Keys work with Blender 4.2 LTS?

Screencast Keys lists compatibility with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer. On Blender 4.2 or later, every event can be collected without the Get Event Aggressively option, which was only needed on Blender 4.1 or earlier. That older option is experimental and could crash Blender in specific environments. If you are on a version outside the listed range, check the developer's page on GitHub to confirm behaviour before relying on it.

How do I install Screencast Keys in Blender?

Screencast Keys can be added to Blender by dragging and dropping the add-on into Blender, or by downloading it and installing from disk. After installation, you can enable it manually or turn on the Enable On Startup option so it activates when Blender launches. Its menu can be added to the sidebar or the Viewport Overlays through Preferences, and the panel location can be adjusted using the Space and Category options. The display itself toggles on and off with Shift + Alt + C.

Can Screencast Keys show mouse button clicks?

Screencast Keys includes a Show Mouse Events option that displays events from the mouse. Its Mode setting offers Event History, Hold Status, or Event History plus Hold Status. When Use Custom Mouse Image is enabled, you can assign separate images for the base state and for the left, right, and middle buttons, with left, right, and middle images overlaid on the base in Overlay display mode. The Mouse Size option controls the figure size used for hold status.

Is Screencast Keys free, and how is it licensed?

Screencast Keys is listed as free in this catalog and is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. The extension notes that it does not require special permissions. The add-on can also be updated directly from Preferences within Blender. For the latest licensing terms, versions, and updates, the developer's page on GitHub is the place to check.

Alternatives to Screencast Keys

Also in Workflow for Blender.

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