Community FAQ

Research and Purchase

O1: Which switches should I choose for my Glove80?
A: Switch choice is highly personal, but it’s recommended not to simply stick with the switches in your current keyboard. The keywell and palm rest provide a different typing experience, and many users find they prefer a lighter switch than what they used on other keyboards. Additionally, low-profile Kailh Choc switches may feel different from what you're used to.  If you're unsure, consider purchasing a Kailh Choc Switch Tester on AliExpress.
Popular switches right now include MoErgo Cherry Blossom and MoErgo Plum Blossom .  (*not available for switch tester)   -  Sound test Cherry vs Plum

O2: Can I order the Glove80 with blank, black or windowed keycaps?  
A: The Glove80 ships by default with white, labeled, translucent keycaps. Blank, black and windowed keycaps are available for separate purchase as add-ons.
MoErgo needs to limit product variations (SKUs) to manage complexity and ensure a streamlined production process with its production partner.
More, see the MoErgo FAQ; "Can I use black keycaps with Glove80?"

O3: Is the optional split USB cable or Y cable recommended? Can I use an alternative spit USB cable?
A: Link to answer (Accessories Notes / Cable)

O4: How long does shipping take?
A: Standard shipping typically takes 1 to 3 weeks from the warehouse in China.  See MoErgo FAQ

O5: What are the import tariffs/tax fees?
A: Depending on country and president ;-)   See MoErgo FAQ

O6: I want to build my own Glove80, but I can't find the STEP or CAD files. Where can I purchase the curved PCB?
A: The Glove80 is the result of years of careful design and development. Since 2014, MoErgo has refined the keyboard through extensive prototyping and user testing to create an ergonomic solution that works for a wide range of users. As a result, the Glove80’s design files (including CAD, STEP, and others) are MoErgo’s intellectual property and are not publicly available. Additionally, the curved PCB is not sold separately and can only be provided as a replacement for existing customers in the event of damage.

O7: I'm considering the unsoldered version, where can I learn more?
See the MoErgo Documentation and elalitte community write-up.

O8: Does Glove80 include homing keycaps, like bumps on F and J?
Glove80 includes two MBK keycaps that serve as training wheel homing keycaps. These caps have a distinct dish profile, unlike the standard MCC cylindrical profile, making them easy to identify by touch. They help new users get accustomed to finger positioning on the keyboard. Once you're familiar with Glove80's 3D contoured shape, it naturally guides your hands into the correct position, making homing keycaps largely unnecessary. Homing keys are considered an optional add-on, as the design philosophy of Glove80 emphasizes self-homing through its physical layout.

Planning and Preparation for Use

P1: What is the best keyboard layout? Is Glorious Engrammer layout a good option for me?  I need a French layout?
Is Colemak DH better or should I use Glorious Engrammer with Enthium or something else?  
A: See this for clarification on the term Layout with examples

P2: I'm considering switching to an alternative alpha layout but still need QWERTY for some other machines. What’s the best practice?
A: See this for a short explanation how your brain masters multiple keyboards instantly

P3: I'm an engineer / developer. What's a good layout (ZMK keymap) for me?
A:  Check out the Glorious Engrammer layout, or for a simplified version, try TailorKey.

P4: Can I use the Glove80 in wired mode via USB without Bluetooth?
A: Yes, the left half can be wired to your computer, ensuring a direct connection. However, due to the underlying ZMK architecture, the left and right halves still communicate over Bluetooth, even if both are connected to your PC via USB.

P5: Can I keep the Glove80 constantly powered via USB, and will it impact battery life?
A: Like all Lithium Polymer batteries, the Glove80's battery life can degrade if it is left plugged in for extended periods. If you want to keep it permanently connected via a cable, one option is to disconnect the battery entirely.  Link to more on Discord and see MoErgo FAQ

Initial Use

U1: How should I place my fingers and what are the best learning tools.
A: See this Learning page

U2: Are there any video tutorial videos available? 
A: YouTube #glove80community playlist and a subset Layout editor playlist.  

• Example:  Getting started with the Layout Editor - First time startup

U3a:  Where is CapsLock? Where is F11 or F12?
By default, these keys are located on the Lower Layer.  For Caps, Hold the Layer key and press Home.
More, see the Lower Layer:  community video  and documentation.

U3b: Numpad on the Lower Layer is not working.
A: Ensure that NumLock is active by pressing the NumLock key on the Lower Layer.  See this howto: Typing essentials video.
I don't want to press NumLock each time? See this on Discord.

U4: How can I fully reset my keyboard to its original factory (vanilla) state?
A: The 'vanilla state' means the Glove80 behaves as it did out of the box, with the original keymap, firmware, and settings. To reset to this state, create a Glove80 Factory Default firmware, update both halves, perform a configuration factory reset, then re-pair and reconnect via USB before recreating the Bluetooth pairing.  (More on this Discord link)    

U5: How do I set up my keyboard to work on both Windows/Linux and Apple macOS?
A: You have two options for dual-OS layout:
1) Create layers for each OS and switch between them,
2) Make Windows and macOS shortcuts the same by configuring macOS.  You can swap modifiers per keyboard on macOS settings.

U6: What is the best practice for using Shift?
A: People use various methods for Shift, including traditional shift keys, home-row modifiers (HRM), Autoshift, Oneshot shift, Caps word, and Caps lock. Each technique offers a different approach to capitalization, with HRM and Autoshift being more advanced options for efficiency.  (More on this Discord link)  

U7: How can I create Ctrl+C or the Hypher key?
A: See howto videos: howto for Ctrl+C.
The Hyper Key is a custom modifier key that functions as a combination of multiple modifier keys at once—typically Control (⌃), Option (⌥), Command (⌘), and Shift (⇧). Watch this How-to video to see how you can combine modifiers effectively.

U8: What is GE (Glorious Engrammer) and what is TK (TailorKey)?
A: G.E. is an advanced keymap for the Glove80, developed and maintained by Sunaku. 
TailorKey is a simplified version of Sunaku’s Glorious Engammer, tailored to the MoErgo Glove80 default QWERTY keycap layout.

U9:  How can I test if my Glove80 keys are working correctly?
Switch Hitter (Windows) and QMK Configurator Test Mode (Web) or Keytest are tools used to test if your keyboard keys are working correctly and show you what keys are being pressed.

U10: Why doesn’t the Glove80 have bumps on the F and J keys?
The Glove80 is designed so your hands naturally find the correct position by resting on the palm rests, removing the need for traditional bumps on the F and J keys. To help with positioning, each Glove80 includes two blank MBK keycaps that can be used as homing keys. These act as "training wheels" because MBK keycaps have a distinct feel compared to the standard MCC keycaps, making them easier to locate by touch.

However, due to user demand, MCC POM bump homing keys were recently introduced as an option.

(Most Glove80 users find that after a few weeks, they no longer need homing keys. Some community members have even created their own by adding a small drop of glue to a spare keycap for tactile reference.)

Continuous Use and Further Optimization

N1: How can I add Mouse Emulation? Do I need any special setup?
A: Mouse Emulation is built into the firmware and requires no additional setup. For details, see ZMK Mouse Emulation Documentation and the Mouse Emulation Example.

N2: How can I copy a layer from another layout?
Howto video

N3: How can I implement Autoshift or Home-row mods (HRM).
See the TailorKey example for an example, and refer to this how-to for copying functionality from it.

N4: Can I light up an individual RGB LED for each key?
feb 2025: The official ZMK firmware does not natively support per-key RGB customization for each layer. However, a community-developed firmware modification enables this feature, which can be accessed through the community firmware option in the layout editor (see PR36 announcement).

Please note that using per-key RGB will significantly reduce battery life due to the high power consumption of RGB LEDs. It’s recommended to avoid RGB use on the default layer to help preserve battery life.   [+]    More about TailorKey and RGB here.

N5: Prevent the Glove80 from sliding or moving on my desk.
Read this

N6: I'm interested in mounting my Glove80. Where can I learn more?
Moosy's Mounting Notes



N7: Explaining the differences between the Lower layer and the Magic layer:

Both the Magic and Lower layers are default layers in the standard layout. You can add or change keys on either of these layers. The Magic layer is mainly used for system controls, while the Lower layer contains keys that didn’t fit on the base layer, like F11/F12 or Caps Lock. You have full control to customize everything in these layers! Check out TailorKey for an example.

• Lower Layer:  community video  and documentation

• Magic Layer:  community video and documentation

N8: Why use &trans instead of &none in ZMK?

&trans stands for transparent. Use &trans if you want the key to do what it does on the parent layer. This is helpful when you want a layer that looks almost the same as another, with just a few keys changed.
&none means the key does nothing at all. It is completely ignored and has no function.

Quick summary:
Use &trans to keep the same key function from the parent layer.
Use &none to block or disable the key completely.

N9: What’s the difference between creating firmware with ZMK vs. the Glove80 Layout Editor?

The Glove80 Layout Editor is a simple online tool where you can design your key layout easily without coding. It builds the firmware for you quickly, and you can flash it right onto your keyboard.
ZMK requires you to edit code manually on GitHub. It’s more technical and takes longer, but it gives you full control to customize everything in the firmware.
Use the Layout Editor for a quick, easy setup. Use ZMK if you want to dive deeper into customization and are comfortable with code.

N10: How does switching layers on-the-fly work in real-world use with ZMK?

Check out this cool video from Sunaku that shows how his symbol layer works—it's a great example!
Switching layers in ZMK means pressing certain keys that temporarily or permanently change the layout of your keyboard. The experience depends on how you set it up. You can see more about different layer types in the ZMK docs.
In practice, you might have a few layers, like:

• A base layer for typing.

• A momentary layer for symbols (activated when you hold a key).   Sunaku's video

• A toggle layer for things like media controls (activated by pressing a key).

• A gaming layer that disables all other layers, focusing on a completely different layout designed for gaming.

 
See TailorKey for an example.
Switching layers smoothly depends on the layout and how well the layers are set up. It can take a little planning, but once configured, it allows quick access to many functions without needing extra keys.