Buying an ergonomic keyboard is usually about hardware: split layouts, thumbkeys, columnar designs, tenting, or simply finding a more comfortable way to type. But ergonomics goes much deeper than the physical shape of the keyboard.
At Dygma, we often say that around 50% of the value of our keyboards comes from the software and firmware. And yet, through customer interviews and surveys, we've realized that more than half of our users never change a single key in a layer.
That means many people might be using only a fraction of what their keyboard can actually do.
Recently, a friend of Luis, Dygma's CEO, bought a Dygma Sonsei. During a call, Luis showed him how he had configured his layers. Once he saw all the possibilities, he immediately started imagining ways to customize his own keyboard.
That's the goal of this article too: not to give you a layout to copy, but to show you the logic behind a highly customized keyboard setup so you can take inspiration from it and build something that works for you.
Why is there no perfect keyboard layout
Luis has been using ergonomic keyboards for close to 10 years. He started with the Dygma Raise, later moved to the Dygma Defy, and now uses the Sonsei. Over that time, his layout has evolved around his hands, the software he uses, and his particular workflow.
He also types roughly 50% in Spanish and 50% in English, which affects several of his layout decisions. His hand shape matters too: his index fingers are relatively short, his ring fingers are comparatively long, and he curls his fingers quite a bit while typing.
Because of that, he doesn't press Q and P with his pinkies. He uses his ring fingers instead.
These details might seem minor, but they're fundamental to understanding how a good custom keyboard layout is built. The best position for a key depends on how often you use it, which hand or finger presses it, how comfortable that movement is, and what other keys you need to combine it with.
Starting with the base layer
On Luis's main layer, the white keys contain letters and numbers, while modifiers and frequently used keys such as Backspace, Enter, and Space are repositioned for greater convenience, especially around the thumbs.
His layout includes two Space keys, two Backspace keys, and two Enter keys. It might sound redundant at first, but each one has a reason.
For example, Enter is available on both sides. Since Luis is right-handed, having Enter on the left is useful when his right hand is on the mouse. But having another Enter on the right is equally useful when he's typing one-handed, holding a glass of water, scratching his face, or simply using the keyboard differently.
The same logic applies to Backspace. Some people might find moving one key downward uncomfortable, but because Luis naturally curls his fingers, that movement feels very comfortable to him. Moving upward, toward something like the number row, is harder.
This is one of the main principles behind his layout: frequent keys get the easiest positions.
Building a hierarchy of keys
Luis thinks of keys as having a hierarchy: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
Keys such as Space or Backspace are primary because they're used constantly. On macOS, Command and Shift are also highly important, so they are positioned very comfortably on the left side.
Control and Alt, on the other hand, are used less frequently in his workflow. Control sits in the corner, while Alt shares the Z key through a Superkey.
Z works well for this because it's a relatively low-frequency letter in both Spanish and English. Luis can still type Z normally, but the same physical key can perform additional functions when held or combined with other keys.
This is a recurring idea throughout his setup: low-frequency keys are ideal places for extra functions. Instead of dedicating valuable keyboard space to keys he rarely uses, he combines several functions into the same position.
Using Superkeys to give one key multiple functions
Several keys in Luis's layout use Superkeys, allowing the same key to behave differently depending on whether it's tapped, held, or used in another interaction.
For example, the Q key is still Q when he needs it, but it can also trigger another function because Q isn't particularly common in either Spanish or English.
Another thumbkey produces Ñ when tapped, but changes layer when held. This is especially useful because Luis frequently switches between Spanish and English.
His Tab key works similarly. Tapping it produces Tab, while holding it activates Layer Lens, a Dygma software feature that displays the currently active layer on screen.
The result is a keyboard in which the number of physical keys doesn't necessarily limit the number of available functions.
Seven layers without making the keyboard complicated
Luis's current layout has seven layers.
That might sound complicated, but the goal isn't to memorize seven completely different keyboards. Instead, each layer is organized around a specific task or group of related functions.
Some layers are used constantly, while others exist only for specific situations. This makes the layout easier to understand because each layer serves a distinct purpose rather than being a random collection of shortcuts.
The navigation layer: keeping the arrows under the fingers
One of Luis's most important layers is his navigation layer.
When he holds the appropriate thumb key, his arrow keys appear directly under his fingers on the right side. That means he doesn't need to move his hand away from the home row every time he wants to navigate through text.
Luis writes and edits text constantly, so keeping the arrows close makes a noticeable difference to his workflow.
He also has keys for Home and End, allowing him to jump to the beginning or end of a sentence. Nearby keys let him jump one word at a time instead.
Shift remains available on the left side, so he can combine it with those navigation controls to quickly select a character, word, or larger section of text.
One important design principle appears here, too: Luis rarely uses a modifier on one hand to activate functions on the other. He generally keeps each hand responsible for nearby actions whenever possible.
Window management on the same layer
The navigation layer effectively contains two groups of functions.
The right side handles text navigation, while the left side is dedicated to window management.
Luis regularly works with a large monitor and between four and five desktops. His laptop may be open or closed depending on the setup, but he's constantly moving windows around and switching between desktops.
Instead of reaching for the mouse or remembering complicated shortcuts, those actions are directly available from his keyboard.
This is a good example of what layers can do beyond simply hiding missing keys: they can turn a keyboard into a set of workflow-specific controls.
A dedicated Notion layer
Another layer Luis uses constantly is Notion.
He has used Notion for years to organize his personal life, projects, the company, and many other parts of his work. Because of that, it made sense to create an entire group of shortcuts around it.
The layer includes function keys and several Notion-specific shortcuts. The first keys are organized by heading size, while others transform regular text into elements such as checkboxes, bullet points, numbered lists, and toggles.
There are also several Superkeys dedicated to colors.
A tap can change the text color, while holding the same key changes the background color. Luis has similar controls for green, yellow, red, and purple, as well as for removing color formatting.
Combined with his navigation layer, this makes editing text extremely fast. He can navigate a document, select words or sections, change headings, add lists, or modify colors without taking his hands off the keyboard.
The media layer
The next layer contains the expected media controls: play, pause, volume up, volume down, forward, backward, and similar functions.
Luis accesses it by holding the Enter key on the left side.
But the layer isn't restricted to media controls. Because there was free space available, he gradually added other frequently used functions, including controls for switching between desktops, switching the main window, and checking the keyboard's battery level.
This reflects another part of his philosophy: layers can begin with a clear category, but unused positions can gradually become useful places for additional shortcuts.
Why is the numpad on the left
Luis's numpad layer is accessed through the Q key.
Unlike his navigation layer, the numpad isn't something he wants to access for just a second. If he's entering numbers into a spreadsheet or completing something that requires a lot of numerical input, he wants to stay in that mode for a while.
As a result, the layer can be locked. He activates it, works with the numbers, and then presses Q again to return to the main layer.
What's more unusual is that his numpad is on the left side.
The reason comes down to how he uses it. When working in a spreadsheet, Luis often needs both the numpad and the mouse at the same time. Since he's right-handed, the mouse is naturally on the right, so placing the numpad on the left lets both hands work simultaneously.
Traditional keyboards normally place the numpad on the right. But Luis points out that numpads were added to keyboards long before the mouse became part of the standard computer setup.
If the mouse had come first, he argues, a left-side numpad might have made much more sense for right-handed users.
A symbol layer designed around memory
Luis also has a dedicated symbols layer, with most symbols positioned on the right side.
Some choices are designed specifically to make the layout easier to remember. The inverted exclamation mark, for example, is placed in the same relative position as the regular exclamation mark on the number row.
The inverted question mark follows a similar logic based on the normal question mark position.
The rest of the layer includes square brackets, curly brackets, and other symbols.
There's also a custom macro for a small arrow symbol that Luis frequently uses in Notion. Rather than typing each character individually, a single key produces the full sequence.
Mouse keys for situations where a mouse isn't practical
One of Luis's least-used layers is also one of the most situational: mouse keys.
He accesses this mode through the top-right key, a position where many people would normally place Backspace. Luis moved Backspace to his thumbkeys because he doesn't like moving his hand upward toward the corner.
Once activated, the layer lets him control the pointer from the keyboard.
It's not something he uses at a regular desk. Instead, it's useful in specific situations, such as working on a plane.
If the Sonsei is on his lap and the laptop is sitting higher on the tray table, reaching up to use the laptop's touchpad can be uncomfortable. In that scenario, mouse keys let him navigate without changing his position.
He also keeps several other shortcuts on the left side of this layer. Like the numpad, it's designed as a mode where he may want to stay for a while, so it uses a layer lock rather than requiring him to continuously hold a key.
Don't copy the layout — copy the logic
The most important lesson from Luis's setup isn't that everyone should use seven keyboard layers or place their numpad on the left.
His layout exists because of a specific combination of factors: the size and flexibility of his hands, the way he positions his fingers, the programs he uses, how often he works in Notion and spreadsheets, occasional situations where mouse keys are useful, and the fact that he types equally in Spanish and English.
Someone with different hands or a different workflow would probably arrive at a completely different layout.
And that's exactly the point.
A programmable ergonomic keyboard becomes much more powerful when its layout adapts to how you actually work, rather than forcing you to adapt to a layout someone else designed decades ago.
You don't need seven layers on day one. You don't need to rebuild your entire keyboard, either.
The interesting part is noticing which keys you use constantly, which ones force your hands into uncomfortable movements, which shortcuts you repeat every day, and which physical keys you barely touch.
From there, layers, Superkeys, macros, and custom shortcuts can turn the same keyboard into something much more personal.
And if you've already customized your layers, we'd love to hear how you've approached them.
What are your most useful keyboard layers? Which keys have you moved? And is there anything Luis should change in his setup?
Join the discussion on Reddit or Discord and share your thoughts.
See you there 💜
