Restore a Mac shortcut setup after changing laptops
Left-Hand Pad can move to a new Mac while parts of its shortcut setup remain on the old computer. Device assignments, application preferences and host remapper rules may be stored in different places. Restore those components deliberately rather than assuming that copying one configuration file recreates the complete workflow. Begin with a record of what each important key is supposed to do.
What should you collect from the old setup?
Save supported profile exports, a readable key legend and the names of required applications or utilities. Note the operating-system input source and any special context rules. Keep private text expansions and credentials out of a general keypad handover file.
If the old machine is still available, test a simple key with the host remapper inactive to understand what the device itself emits. Document what you observed without making broader claims about persistence. A stored profile and a working onboard assignment are different forms of evidence.
Which component should you restore first?
Confirm ordinary device input on the new Mac using a harmless document. Then check the destination application's own shortcuts. This establishes a baseline before you add host translations. If a command is already available through a direct binding, you may not need to recreate every old workaround.
Install or enable only the software you actually require through its normal trusted setup process. Follow documented macOS permission steps when a utility needs them. On a managed laptop, use the organisation's approved route rather than importing settings that assume broader access.
How do you handle changed device or app identities?
A remapper rule can fail if its target no longer matches the current device or application. Inspect the identifiers reported by the tool. The Karabiner documentation for device conditions explains one method of scoping rules; use the actual values from your setup.
Review application-specific conditions too. A different editor installation, profile or input source can change how the same event is interpreted. Keep these differences explicit rather than adding another global replacement until the shortcut seems to work.
What confirms the migration is finished?
Test the important actions in their intended panels, then verify ordinary typing and system shortcuts. Reconnect the pad and reopen any dependent utility to check the startup path. Save a new export and revision note after the results are consistent. The Left-Hand Pad setup information covers the device's stated support, while the migration record should explain the complete working configuration on the new laptop.