Wireless · ZMK

Corne Choc Wireless quick-start guide

Getting connected, finding your way around the layers, and making the layout your own.

Firmware: ZMK v0.3.0, the latest stable ZMK release (1 August 2025).

Updated September 30, 2026

Download PDFView the Corne Choc Keyboard
On this page
Good to know: the Corne is an open-source keyboard designed by foostan, and the wireless version runs the open-source ZMK firmware. Everything in this guide works the same on any wireless ZMK Corne, so the ZMK documentation and the many community guides and videos about the Corne apply to your keyboard too. The useful ones are listed at the end of this guide.

Connect the batteries

For safety, the batteries ship unplugged. Under each half there is a small white JST connector: plug each battery into its half. The plug only fits one way, so never force it.

To charge, plug each half into a USB-C charger or computer. If your keyboard has OLED screens, they show the battery level of each half and the connection status (see “Reading the screens”).

The reset button

Each half has a small reset button on its side.

  • Press once to restart that half, if it ever stops responding.
  • Press twice quickly to enter firmware-update mode: a USB drive appears on your computer. You only need this to install new firmware. If you enter it by accident, press reset once more to go back to normal.

Pair with your computer

  1. Once both batteries are connected, the two halves find each other automatically.
  2. Open the Bluetooth settings of your computer, tablet or phone.
  3. Select “Corne” in the list of devices and pair it. That’s it, you can start typing.
Tip: the left half is the one that talks to your computer. If pairing fails, remove “Corne” from your device’s Bluetooth list, press reset once on the left half and try again.

Reading the screens

If your keyboard has OLED screens, each half shows its battery level and a connection status. The symbols on your screen may look slightly different from the ones below.

Left half: connection to your devices

Connected over Bluetooth. The number is the active profile (1 to 5).
Profile 1 is free: the keyboard is ready to pair with a new device.
Profile 1 is already paired with a device that isn’t connected right now. The keyboard waits for that device and won’t pair with another one on this profile: select a free profile, or clear this one with BT_CLR (see “Use several devices”).
Typing through the USB cable of the left half.

Right half: connection to the left half

The right half is connected to the left half.
The right half isn’t connected to the left half. Check that both batteries are plugged in, then press reset once on each half.

Use several devices

The keyboard remembers up to 5 devices (Bluetooth profiles). Open layer 3 (two thumb keys together, see “The layers”), then:

  • BT_SEL 0 to BT_SEL 4, on the left home row (A S D F G), select profiles 1 to 5. Select a free profile, then pair the new device from its Bluetooth settings.
  • Afterwards, the same keys switch instantly between your paired devices.
  • BT_CLR, at the far left of the home row, forgets the device on the current profile, if you need to pair it again. Remove “Corne” from that device’s Bluetooth list too before pairing again.

Cable or wireless

Your keyboard can type over Bluetooth or through a USB-C cable plugged into the left half. When both are available, it uses your preferred connection. It comes set to prefer the cable. To change it, open layer 3, then press OUT_USB or OUT_BLE on the bottom row, just below BT_SEL 0 and BT_SEL 1 (Z and X positions):

  • OUT_USB, prefer the cable: when the left half is plugged into a computer, it types through the cable. Unplugged, or plugged into a charger, it types over Bluetooth.
  • OUT_BLE, prefer Bluetooth: it keeps typing over Bluetooth even while the left half is plugged into a computer, for example to charge it from one computer while typing on another device. When no cable is connected, it types over Bluetooth either way.

The keyboard remembers your choice, even after a restart, and the left screen shows the connection in use (see “Reading the screens”).

Remap any key with ZMK Studio

You can change the layout from your browser, with nothing to install or flash.

  1. Plug the left half into your computer with a USB-C cable.
  2. Open zmk.studio in Chrome or Edge and click connect.
  3. If ZMK Studio asks you to unlock the keyboard, open layer 3 and press studio_unlock (bottom-right key).
  4. Click a key, pick its new function, then save. Changes are stored on the keyboard.
Back to the default layout: use Restore Stock Settings in ZMK Studio at any time. The layer 3 shortcuts (two thumb keys together) keep working whatever you remap, but keep the Bluetooth keys somewhere on your layout.

The layers

With 42 keys, the Corne keeps numbers, symbols and navigation on extra layers, reached by holding thumb keys. Your hands never leave the home row.

The thumb keys

GUIWin / Cmd
Layer 1hold
2× tap: Caps Lock
Entertap
hold: Layer 2
Left half
Space
Backspace
Delete
Right half
  • Layer 1 (numbers and symbols): hold the middle left thumb key.
  • Layer 2 (F-keys and navigation): hold the inner left thumb key. A quick tap types Enter.
  • Layer 3 (Bluetooth and media): press two thumb keys at the same time and keep holding them: either the two inner left keys (Layer 1 + Enter) or the two inner right keys (Space + Backspace). The right-hand pair leaves your left hand free for the Bluetooth keys.

Reading the maps

&kpA normal key.
&mtTap for the key shown, hold for the modifier. Bottom-left: tap Esc, hold Ctrl. Bottom-right: tap `, hold Alt.
&ltTap for the key shown, hold for the layer: tap Enter, hold for layer 2.
&transTransparent: the key keeps what it does on the base layer.
&noneDoes nothing on this layer.

Layer 0 · Base

Always active

Layer 1 · Numbers and symbols

Hold the middle left thumb key

Layer 2 · F-keys and navigation

Hold the inner left thumb key (Enter)

Arrows sit under your right hand, with Home, Page Down, Page Up and End just above.

Layer 3 · Bluetooth and media

Hold Layer 1 + Enter, or Space + Backspace

Bluetooth profiles on the left home row with OUT_USB / OUT_BLE just below, volume up / down / mute on the right.

Useful links

These resources cover every wireless ZMK Corne, not only ours, so you can rely on them for anything this guide doesn’t cover.

ZMK documentationzmk.dev/docs: the official firmware docs, from basics to advanced features.
ZMK versionZMK v0.3.0, the latest stable ZMK release (1 August 2025).
ZMK Studiozmk.studio to remap in your browser, and zmk.dev/docs/features/studio for what it can do.
Key codeszmk.dev/docs/keymaps/list-of-keycodes: every key you can assign, with OS compatibility.
Bluetooth issueszmk.dev/docs/troubleshooting/connection-issues: pairing problems, and re-pairing the two halves.
Split keyboardszmk.dev/docs/features/split-keyboards: how the two halves work together.
Custom firmwarezmk.dev/docs/user-setup to build your own firmware (combos, macros, tap dance…). Keymap Editor edits the keymap file visually.
Our default configgithub.com/jerlam06/zmk-config: the firmware your keyboard ships with, ready to fork.
Controllernicekeyboards.com/docs/nice-nano: the nice!nano-compatible controller inside each half.
The Corne projectgithub.com/foostan/crkbd: the original open-source design by foostan.
CommunityZMK Discord: a very active community for firmware questions.
Typing practicekeybr.com: build speed again while you get used to the new layout.

Need help?

Something doesn’t behave as expected, or you have a question about your keyboard? Just write to us, we answer every message.

contact@thekeeblab.com · thekeeblab.com/pages/contact

Happy typing! · TheKeebLab