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I know how to set the key repeat rate using System Preferences > Keyboard but it looks that the fastest settings is not enough.

Is there any way to speed up even more?

I do not know if others encountered the same issue, but I'm using a MacBook Pro, model 2010.

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2 Answers

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I just discovered that I had KeyRemap4MacBook installed and inside this application you have lots of low level settings for key repeat.

Now I'm happy with 400ms initial repeat time and 20ms reteat wait.

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I have the same problem on OSX Lion on an iMac: the max repeat speed in System Preferences > Keyboard is insufficient (I use vim where fast repeated keystrokes really speed up navigation - but the faster speed is also useful in browsers). Thx for the KeyRemap4MacBook tip - works great. – kfmfe04 Jan 24 '12 at 12:08
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You can also change the preference keys directly:

defaults write -g InitialKeyRepeat -int 10 # normal minimum is 15 (225 ms)
defaults write -g KeyRepeat -int 1 # normal minimum is 2 (30 ms)

The changes aren't applied until you log out and back in. KeyRepeat can't be set between 2 (30 ms) and 1 (15 ms) though.

I also use KeyRemap4MacBook. I've set the repeat rates to 40 ms and the initial repeat rates to 150 ms.

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