MacOS apply keyboard settings and change scroll without restart

switch-shortcuts.sh

#!/bin/sh
set -e

# Function to check if key 118 is enabled (used as a state indicator)
is_windows_mode() {
    current_state=$(defaults read com.apple.symbolichotkeys AppleSymbolicHotKeys | grep -A5 '"118" =' | grep "enabled" | grep -c "0")
    [ "$current_state" -eq 1 ]
}

# Function to toggle between Mac and Windows keyboard settings
toggle_keyboard_mode() {
    if is_windows_mode; then
        apply_mac_settings
    else
        apply_windows_settings
    fi
}

# Apply Mac keyboard settings with full parameter structures
apply_mac_settings() {
    echo "Applying settings for Mac mode..."

    # Key 118 - Spotlight
    defaults write com.apple.symbolichotkeys AppleSymbolicHotKeys -dict-add 118 \
      '<dict>
          <key>enabled</key>
          <true/>
          <key>value</key>
          <dict>
              <key>parameters</key>
              <array>
                  <integer>65535</integer>
                  <integer>18</integer>
                  <integer>262144</integer>
              </array>
              <key>type</key>
              <string>standard</string>
          </dict>
      </dict>'
    
    # Key 32 - Mission Control - Up
    defaults write com.apple.symbolichotkeys AppleSymbolicHotKeys -dict-add 32 \
      '<dict>
          <key>enabled</key>
          <true/>
          <key>value</key>
          <dict>
              <key>parameters</key>
              <array>
                  <integer>65535</integer>
                  <integer>126</integer>
                  <integer>8650752</integer>
              </array>
              <key>type</key>
              <string>standard</string>
          </dict>
      </dict>'
    
    # Key 33 - App Windows - Down
    defaults write com.apple.symbolichotkeys AppleSymbolicHotKeys -dict-add 33 \
      '<dict>
          <key>enabled</key>
          <true/>
          <key>value</key>
          <dict>
              <key>parameters</key>
              <array>
                  <integer>65535</integer>
                  <integer>125</integer>
                  <integer>8650752</integer>
              </array>
              <key>type</key>
              <string>standard</string>
          </dict>
      </dict>'
    
    # Key 79 - Move left a space
    defaults write com.apple.symbolichotkeys AppleSymbolicHotKeys -dict-add 79 \
      '<dict>
          <key>enabled</key>
          <true/>
          <key>value</key>
          <dict>
              <key>parameters</key>
              <array>
                  <integer>65535</integer>
                  <integer>123</integer>
                  <integer>8650752</integer>
              </array>
              <key>type</key>
              <string>standard</string>
          </dict>
      </dict>'
    
    # Key 81 - Move right a space
    defaults write com.apple.symbolichotkeys AppleSymbolicHotKeys -dict-add 81 \
      '<dict>
          <key>enabled</key>
          <true/>
          <key>value</key>
          <dict>
              <key>parameters</key>
              <array>
                  <integer>65535</integer>
                  <integer>124</integer>
                  <integer>8650752</integer>
              </array>
              <key>type</key>
              <string>standard</string>
          </dict>
      </dict>'
    
    # Set reversed scroll direction (Windows style)
    defaults write -g com.apple.swipescrolldirection -bool YES

    echo "✅ Mac keyboard settings applied successfully."
}

# Apply Windows keyboard settings with full parameter structures
apply_windows_settings() {
    echo "Applying settings for Windows mode..."
    
    # Key 118 - Spotlight
    defaults write com.apple.symbolichotkeys AppleSymbolicHotKeys -dict-add 118 \
      '<dict>
          <key>enabled</key>
          <false/>
          <key>value</key>
          <dict>
              <key>parameters</key>
              <array>
                  <integer>65535</integer>
                  <integer>18</integer>
                  <integer>262144</integer>
              </array>
              <key>type</key>
              <string>standard</string>
          </dict>
      </dict>'
    
    # Key 32 - Mission Control - Up
    defaults write com.apple.symbolichotkeys AppleSymbolicHotKeys -dict-add 32 \
      '<dict>
          <key>enabled</key>
          <false/>
          <key>value</key>
          <dict>
              <key>parameters</key>
              <array>
                  <integer>65535</integer>
                  <integer>126</integer>
                  <integer>8650752</integer>
              </array>
              <key>type</key>
              <string>standard</string>
          </dict>
      </dict>'
    
    # Key 33 - App Windows - Down
    defaults write com.apple.symbolichotkeys AppleSymbolicHotKeys -dict-add 33 \
      '<dict>
          <key>enabled</key>
          <false/>
          <key>value</key>
          <dict>
              <key>parameters</key>
              <array>
                  <integer>65535</integer>
                  <integer>125</integer>
                  <integer>8650752</integer>
              </array>
              <key>type</key>
              <string>standard</string>
          </dict>
      </dict>'
    
    # Key 79 - Move left a space
    defaults write com.apple.symbolichotkeys AppleSymbolicHotKeys -dict-add 79 \
      '<dict>
          <key>enabled</key>
          <false/>
          <key>value</key>
          <dict>
              <key>parameters</key>
              <array>
                  <integer>65535</integer>
                  <integer>123</integer>
                  <integer>8650752</integer>
              </array>
              <key>type</key>
              <string>standard</string>
          </dict>
      </dict>'
    
    # Key 81 - Move right a space
    defaults write com.apple.symbolichotkeys AppleSymbolicHotKeys -dict-add 81 \
      '<dict>
          <key>enabled</key>
          <false/>
          <key>value</key>
          <dict>
              <key>parameters</key>
              <array>
                  <integer>65535</integer>
                  <integer>124</integer>
                  <integer>8650752</integer>
              </array>
              <key>type</key>
              <string>standard</string>
          </dict>
      </dict>'
    
    # Set natural scroll direction (Mac style)
    defaults write -g com.apple.swipescrolldirection -bool NO
    
    echo "✅ Windows keyboard settings applied successfully."
}

# Process command-line arguments
if [ "$#" -eq 0 ]; then
    toggle_keyboard_mode
elif [ "$1" = "windows" ]; then
    apply_windows_settings
elif [ "$1" = "mac" ]; then
    apply_mac_settings
elif [ "$1" = "status" ]; then
    if is_windows_mode; then
        echo "Currently in Windows mode"
    else
        echo "Currently in Mac mode"
    fi
elif [ "$1" = "help" ]; then
    echo "Usage:"
    echo "  $(basename "$0")             - Toggle between Mac and Windows keyboard shortcuts"
    echo "  $(basename "$0") mac         - Switch to Mac keyboard shortcuts"
    echo "  $(basename "$0") windows     - Switch to Windows keyboard shortcuts"
    echo "  $(basename "$0") status      - Show current mode"
    echo "  $(basename "$0") help        - Show this help message"
else
    echo "Invalid argument. Use 'mac', 'windows', 'status', or 'help'."
    exit 1
fi

# Restart services to apply changes
killall cfprefsd 2>/dev/null || true
/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemAdministration.framework/Resources/activateSettings -u

This Gist shows how to apply different versioned com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist and modify the mouse & trackpad scroll direction. I found this particularly useful when I switch to using Google's Chrome Remote Desktop (RDP) and I don't want keyboard shortcuts triggering Mission Control that take me away from my RDP session when I am for example pressing control+←.