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Vial

Place
#38 of 105
Score
6.7
Vial's website

The facts below are what the maker publishes about Vial, checked and dated. Our editors have not written about it yet.

The facts

Each one read from Vial's own pages, with the date it was checked.

Where it runs

Browser support
Vial Web recommends the latest versions of Chrome, Chromium, or Edge.checked 11 Oct 2026
Combos
Combos trigger a configured action when up to four keys are pressed within a combo term.checked 11 Oct 2026
Linux setup
On Linux, keyboard detection requires a custom udev rule because Vial communicates directly with the keyboard through the hidraw driver.checked 11 Oct 2026
Macros
Users can configure 16 macros by default, with actions such as hold, tap, release, and delay; the limit can be adjusted when building firmware.checked 11 Oct 2026
Macro support
Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
Onboard device memory
Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
Web app
Vial Web recommends the latest versions of Chrome, Chromium, or Edge.checked 12 Oct 2026

What it does

Configuration features
The manual covers layers, macros, combos, and tap dance.checked 12 Oct 2026
Desktop downloads
The download page lists Windows installer and portable builds, a macOS DMG, and a Linux AppImage; it labels version 0.7.5 as beta.checked 11 Oct 2026
Firmware settings
The manual includes a section on QMK Settings.checked 12 Oct 2026
For developers
The manual directs keyboard designers and firmware developers to a porting guide for adding Vial support.checked 12 Oct 2026
Keyboard compatibility
A keyboard needs Vial-compatible firmware, which is detected automatically by the GUI.checked 12 Oct 2026
Keymaps
The user manual covers editing keyboard keymaps.checked 12 Oct 2026
Live key editing
Users can select a key and replacement from the palettes, and changes are automatically saved to the keyboard for immediate use.checked 11 Oct 2026
Locking
To exit unlocked mode, users can replug the keyboard or select Security→Lock from the menu.checked 12 Oct 2026
Open source
Vial says sources for all components are publicly available on GitHub.checked 12 Oct 2026
Operating systems
The standalone GUI is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.checked 12 Oct 2026
Product
Vial is an open-source GUI and a QMK fork for configuring a keyboard in real time.checked 12 Oct 2026
QMK options
The QMK Settings tab includes options for Magic Key, Grave Escape, tap-hold configuration, Auto Shift, Combos, One Shot Keys, and Mouse Keys.checked 11 Oct 2026
Release status
The download page identifies version 0.7.5 as a beta and asks users to report bugs to the issue tracker.checked 12 Oct 2026
Support
The site links users to a Discord server and an issue tracker for support and bug reports.checked 12 Oct 2026
Supported operating systems
cross-platformchecked 20 Sep 2026
Tap dance
Tap Dance can assign different actions to a key based on whether it is tapped, held, double-tapped, or tapped and held.checked 11 Oct 2026

Money

Free plan
Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026

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