qmk/qmk_firmware

[Feature Request] Chordal Hold handedness: L, R, Neither, Both

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#26162 opened on Apr 19, 2026

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enhancementhelp wanted

Description

Feature Request Type

  • Core functionality
  • Add-on hardware support (eg. audio, RGB, OLED screen, etc.)
  • Alteration (enhancement/optimization) of existing feature(s)
  • New behavior

Description

chordal hold as-is

Chordal hold https://docs.qmk.fm/tap_hold#chordal-hold-handedness

Chordal hold configuration allows for keys to be assigned as L, R or *. Where * configures a key as exempt from the opposite hands rule.

requested change

With this feature request i ask for one additional value to be added, for the inverse of *: to configure a key as always affected by the opposite hands rule.

I'm not picky about the value, but since I'm opening the request: how about ! for the added value?

My particular Usecase:

After spending some time on home row mod configuration, i noticed the responsiveness of my repeat key was better with one half of the keyboard than the other. A bit of deduction brought me to the Chordal Hold configuration where i found things as described. I would like my repeat key to settle mod-tap keys as tapped, no matter which side they are on.

Existing solution:

get_chordal_hold() may be implemented for customization to compute as desired

Contributor guide

Tech stack
c
Domain
backend
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
C programmingFamiliarity with QMK's tap hold configuration
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
60
Research direction
The issue requests adding a new handedness value (e.g., '!') to the chordal hold configuration, which would always enforce the opposite hand rule regardless of side. Currently, '*' exempts keys from the rule. The implementation likely involves modifying the enum for chordal hold values in the relevant header file and updating the logic in `get chordal hold()` or the tap hold processing code to handle this new value. No linked PRs or assignees, so the issue is open for contribution.